NASA’s ‘Europa Clipper’ to explore Jupiter’s icy moon and its potential for life

As seen in Space Explored

NASA’s Europa Clipper mission, set to launch in October, is designed to investigate Jupiter’s moon Europa and its potential to harbor life. Europa is of particular interest to scientists because beneath its thick ice shell lies a massive saltwater ocean, which could contain the necessary ingredients for life: water, chemical elements, and energy sources.

The Europa Clipper spacecraft was built at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, with contributions from several international and domestic partners. The vehicle’s propulsion system, which holds 24 engines and nearly 6,000 pounds of fuel, was developed to allow the mission to perform its extensive flybys of Europa . Its power system relies on large solar arrays, each over 46 feet long, to collect sunlight during its long journey to Jupiter. Moreover, the spacecraft is designed to withstand the intense radiation in Jupiter’s environment, with its sensitive electronics encased in a specially designed radiation vault.

Europa Clipper is currently in its final preparations at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Recently, technicians attached the spacecraft’s massive solar arrays, and further tests are being conducted to ensure its readiness for launch atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy as early as October 10. Once in space, the robotic explorer is expected to take six years to reach Jupiter, using gravity assists from Mars and Earth to arrive in 2030.

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