Jupiter is tens of millions of miles away from Earth, and exploration of the gasoline big appeared not possible for years — till NASA’s Galileo orbited the planet in 1995. Now, NASA’s Europa Clipper is on a mission to find extra about one in every of Jupiter’s moons. Following its Monday, October 14, launch, astronomers and house fans are curious how this mission may show {that a} moon is an oceanic — and due to this fact, a probably recurring — world.
What Is the Europa Clipper Mission?
The Clipper was initially scheduled to launch on October 10. Nonetheless, Hurricane Milton pushed the launch again one other 4 days. The mission is to discover the ice-covered moon of Europa and to find out whether or not it might be a liveable world. Furthermore, the Clipper’s mission may assist scientists study extra about how life developed on Earth.
NASA mission undertaking scientist Robert Pappalardo detailed how the Clipper will delve deeper than we’ve ever been earlier than into Europa’s historical past and present world.
“The devices work collectively hand in hand to reply our most urgent questions on Europa,” Robert Pappalardo stated in an announcement, per CNN. “We are going to study what makes Europa tick, from its core and rocky inside to its ocean and ice shell to its very skinny ambiance and the encircling house setting.”
Liftoff of Europa Clipper!
The #EuropaClipper spacecraft lifted off at 12:06pm ET Oct. 14 from Launch Pad 39A aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.
The mission will assist scientists higher perceive how life developed on Earth and the potential for locating life past our… pic.twitter.com/rzqbmqvyBh
— NASA’s Kennedy House Heart (@NASAKennedy) October 14, 2024
Robert elaborated that he hopes the Clipper can discover “some kind of oasis” on Europa, “the place there’s proof of liquid water not far under the floor, and proof of organics on the floor.”
“Possibly it will be heat, possibly it will be the supply of a plume,” he stated. “That might be someplace that sooner or later possibly NASA may ship a lander to scoop down under the floor and actually seek for indicators of life.”
The Clipper will journey a couple of billion miles and is anticipated to succeed in Jupiter in 2030. Nonetheless, the spacecraft won’t land on Europa’s floor; it’ll solely conduct flybys to review the moon.
A journey of 1.8 billion miles is about to start.
All about NASA’s #EuropaClipper mission to discover Jupiter’s intriguing moon Europa: https://t.co/KX1yfEbiNu
Launch is slated for Monday, Oct. 14. This is the best way to watch: https://t.co/x4XNEuvd7U pic.twitter.com/qkUkVq39pT
— NASA Europa Clipper (@EuropaClipper) October 13, 2024
What Is the SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket?
Falcon Heavy is a rocket that was constructed by SpaceX to convey people into house. It was used to launch the Europa Clipper from the Kennedy House Heart in Florida.
Is There One other Mission to Jupiter?
The European House Company launched the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (a.ok.a JUICE) in 2023. It’s scheduled to succeed in the gasoline planet in 2031.
The China Nationwide House Administration (CNSA) can also be planning a Jupiter mission. CNSA plans to launch the Interstellar Categorical someday in 2024 to review the heliosphere (the outermost atmospheric layer of the Solar), and it’ll fly by Jupiter in its mission.
