NASA Sets Date for Groundbreaking Mission to Jupiter's Moon Europa

October 14, 2024

NASA has officially approved next month’s highly anticipated launch of the Europa Clipper spacecraft, which will embark on a groundbreaking mission to Jupiter’s icy moon Europa. The decision comes after a thorough review of the spacecraft’s electronics, following concerns about its ability to withstand Europa’s intense radiation environment. Earlier this year, questions arose about the reliability of the transistors on the $5 billion spacecraft, similar to issues that had surfaced on other projects. NASA quickly launched a series of tests to ensure the spacecraft’s systems could handle the mission’s harsh conditions, with the goal of determining whether Europa’s subsurface ocean could harbor life.

The liftoff is set for October 10, with the spacecraft launching aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. NASA has a three-week window to initiate the mission, as the Europa Clipper must pass by both Mars and Earth to gain the necessary gravity assists for its six-year journey to Jupiter. If this window is missed, the launch will be postponed for more than a year, awaiting the next proper planetary alignment. Project manager Jordan Evans of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory stated that while the transistors located across the spacecraft are expected to degrade from radiation during Europa’s 49 scheduled flybys, the spacecraft should recover during the three-week gaps between each encounter.

Once it reaches Jupiter, Europa Clipper will orbit the gas giant every three weeks, performing flybys of Europa as close as 16 miles (25 kilometers) to its surface. These flybys will allow scientists to use an array of instruments, including cameras and ice-penetrating radar, to map almost the entire moon and investigate whether its hidden ocean could support life. The Europa Clipper is the largest spacecraft ever built by NASA to explore another planet, stretching over 100 feet (30 meters) with its solar panels deployed. Teams from labs across the country, who worked around the clock for four months, concluded that the spacecraft’s systems are ready for the challenges ahead.

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