NASA launched its largest-ever spacecraft for planetary exploration, Europa Clipper, from Florida on Monday Oct 14. This mission is dedicated to assess whether Jupiter’s moon “Europa” has conditions that could support life. The spacecraft was launched at the Kennedy Space Center and took off at 12:06 p.m.
Europa Clipper is set to reach Jupiter in 2030 after traveling 1.8 billion miles, over 5-1/2 years.
“Congratulations to our Europa Clipper team for beginning the first journey to an ocean world beyond Earth,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “By exploring the unknown, Europa Clipper will help us better understand whether there is the potential for life not just within our solar system, but among the billions of moons and planets beyond our Sun.”
The spacecraft will not take a straight path to Jupiter. Instead, it is due to fly by Mars, then back to Earth, using the gravity of each planet to increase its momentum like a slingshot. Its expansive solar arrays, which were folded up for the launch, will gather sunlight for powering the spacecraft’s nine scientific instruments as well as its electronics and other subsystems.
NASA’s main goal is to determine if Europa’s subsurface ocean could support life. The spacecraft will analyze the moon’s ice shell, thin atmosphere, and deep interior. Tools like an ice-penetrating radar and thermal imaging will help detect warmer ice and signs of water eruptions.
The moon, which is about 90% the size of Earth’s moon, is believed to have a vast ocean beneath its icy shell, potentially containing more water than all of Earth’s oceans combined.
“We’re ecstatic to send Europa Clipper on its way to explore a potentially habitable ocean world, thanks to our colleagues and partners who’ve worked so hard to get us to this day,” said Laurie Leshin, director, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “Europa Clipper will undoubtedly deliver mind-blowing science. While always bittersweet to send something we’ve labored over for years off on its long journey.”
If the mission confirms Europa’s habitability, it could reveal that there are more potentially life-supporting worlds in our solar system and beyond than previously thought.
More than 4,000 people have contributed to the Europa Clipper mission since its formal approval in 2015, making it one of NASA’s most significant projects in the exploration of other worlds.
