BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — NASA has successfully launched the highly anticipated Europa Clipper mission, which will embark on a 1.8 billion-mile journey to investigate Jupiter’s moon Europa. The primary objective of this $5.2 billion mission is to conduct a thorough study of the icy moon, as scientists suspect the presence of a giant saltwater ocean beneath its frozen crust, hinting at the potential for extraterrestrial life.
READ: NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft will scour Jupiter moon for the ingredients for life
A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket carried the spacecraft on the first leg of its voyage, with liftoff at 12:06 p.m. from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This marks NASA’s first dedicated mission to study Europa closely.
When its solar wings and antennas are unfolded, Clipper is about the size of a basketball court—more than 100 feet end to end—and weighs nearly 13,000 pounds.
You will be able to watch NASA’s live stream of the launch below:
Europa, one of Jupiter’s 95 known moons, has intrigued scientists for decades due to its potential to support life. The thick layer of ice covering the moon likely conceals an ocean that could be more than twice the size of Earth’s.
Researchers believe that if liquid water exists on Europa, it might also contain the necessary conditions for life to thrive, making it a prime target for exploration.
Over the next several years, the spacecraft will gather critical data on the moon’s surface and subsurface, using advanced radar, magnetic field sensors, and spectrometers to analyze Europa’s composition and search for signs of habitability. The mission will orbit Jupiter every 21 days to make nearly 50 flybys of Europa.
It will take 5 and a half years to reach Jupiter and come within 16 miles of Europa’s surface, considerably closer than any other spacecraft. Onboard radar will try to penetrate the moon’s ice sheet, which is believed to be 10 to 15 miles thick or more. The ocean below could be almost 80 miles deep.
This mission continues NASA’s long legacy of deep space exploration, following in the footsteps of the Galileo and Juno missions. Europa Clipper promises to deliver groundbreaking insights into one of the solar system’s most mysterious celestial bodies as anticipation builds.
We’re going on a 1.8-billion-mile journey to an ocean world – Jupiter moon, Europa!
— NASA (@NASA) October 14, 2024
@EuropaClipper is set to launch on Monday, Oct. 14, on a @SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket at 12:06pm ET (1606 UTC) from @NASAKennedy. Use #AskNASA to send us your questions. https://t.co/o3xgleA6Z3
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