NASA mission to explore Jupiter's 'potentially habitable' moon launches today
NASA is gearing up for the launch of its ambitious Europa Clipper mission today at 8:30 pm IST. The mission will investigate Jupiter's moon, Europa, which is could potentially support life today, as per Curt Niebur, program scientist for the Europa Clipper. The spacecraft will travel nearly 2.9 billion kilometers to reach Jupiter sometime around April 2030. The mission's main goal is to collect critical data about Europa's ability to support life, through close flybys and detailed observations.
Europa Clipper's journey and mission objectives
The Europa Clipper is set to launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket later today. During its mission, the spacecraft will orbit Jupiter and make 49 close flybys of Europa once it reaches its destination in roughly 5.5 years. On each orbit, it will spend less than a day in the hazardous radiation zone near Europa before moving away. This will be repeated every two to three weeks.
Europa Clipper's scientific instruments and data collection
The spacecraft is equipped with nine scientific instruments, including a gravity experiment using the telecommunications system. All of these will work together on every pass to gather information about Europa's surface, ice shell, and ability to support life. The European Space Agency's Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE), in partnership with NASA, will also study Europa and Ganymede for more information on these far-off moons' ability to support life.
Europa: A potentially habitable 'ocean world'
Often dubbed an "ocean world," Europa has been on scientists' radar since the 1960s when telescopes spotted its surface was mostly water ice. The moon also hosts key chemical elements including carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur. These are seen as building blocks of life. Strong scientific evidence points to a salty ocean under Europa's icy shell, hinting at possible conditions for sustaining life.
