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| A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket launched NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:06 p.m. EDT on October 14, 2024. |
NASA’s Europa Clipper has officially begun its mission to investigate Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons, believed to harbor a vast subsurface ocean that may support life. The spacecraft launched at 12:06 p.m. EDT on Monday aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
“Congratulations to our Europa Clipper team for beginning the first journey to an ocean world beyond Earth,” stated NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. He emphasized the significance of this mission in advancing our understanding of potential life in our solar system and beyond.
The launch went smoothly, with the rocket’s second stage igniting approximately five minutes after liftoff. The Europa Clipper separated from the rocket about an hour later, and ground controllers established two-way communication shortly after, confirming the spacecraft’s good health.
Nicky Fox, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, expressed enthusiasm about the mission, which builds on the legacy of previous missions like Juno and Galileo. “Europa Clipper’s scientific discoveries will expand our understanding of habitable worlds,” she said.
The mission aims to explore whether Europa has conditions suitable for life. Previous data from the Galileo mission suggested that beneath its icy surface lies a salty ocean containing more water than all of Earth’s oceans combined. Evidence also indicates the presence of organic compounds and potential energy sources.
If Europa is found to be habitable, it could imply that other worlds in our solar system and beyond may also support life.
Laurie Leshin, director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, highlighted the team’s dedication, stating, “Europa Clipper will undoubtedly deliver mind-blowing science.” The spacecraft is set to conduct science flybys of Europa starting in 2031, coming as close as 16 miles to the surface. It carries nine advanced scientific instruments, including ice-penetrating radar and thermal imaging tools.
To support these instruments in the dim light of Jupiter, Europa Clipper features the largest solar arrays ever used in an interplanetary mission, extending 100 feet from end to end.
Over 4,000 individuals have contributed to the Europa Clipper mission since its approval in 2015. Project manager Jordan Evans reflected on the teamwork that made the launch possible, calling it a leap toward uncovering the mysteries of another ocean world.
Mission Objectives.
Europa Clipper’s three primary science objectives are to:
1. Determine the thickness of Europa’s icy shell and its interaction with the underlying ocean.
2. Investigate the moon’s composition.
3. Characterize its geology.
The detailed exploration of Europa aims to deepen our understanding of potential habitable environments beyond Earth.
Managed by Caltech and developed in partnership with the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, the mission exemplifies NASA’s collaborative approach to planetary exploration.
