NASA successfully launched a spacecraft from Florida on Monday, embarking on a mission to investigate the potential habitability of Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons. The focus of this exploration is the extensive subsurface ocean that is believed to exist beneath Europa’s thick icy crust.
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NASA spacecraft rockets toward Jupiter’s moon Europa in search of the right conditions for life – Manila Bulletin Online: NASA spacecraft rockets toward Jupiter’s moon Europa in search of the right conditions for… https://t.co/2EP4gVUuPU #NASA #Europa #Jupiter #Spacecraft #Life pic.twitter.com/zCJDYwiuHR
— Voice Press (@VoicePressNews) October 15, 2024
The Europa Clipper spacecraft was propelled into space from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, all under clear skies.
This solar-powered robotic probe is expected to reach Jupiter’s orbit in 2030, after traveling approximately 1.8 billion miles (2.9 billion kilometers) over a span of 5.5 years. The launch, originally scheduled for the previous week, was delayed due to Hurricane Milton.
NASA has constructed the largest spacecraft for a planetary mission, measuring approximately 100 feet (30.5 meters) in length and around 58 feet (17.6 meters) in width when its antennas and solar arrays are fully extended, surpassing the size of a basketball court, and weighing close to 13,000 pounds.
Europa, the fourth-largest moon of Jupiter among its 95 officially recognized moons, is only a quarter the diameter of Earth; however, it is believed to possess a vast global ocean of salty liquid water that may hold twice the volume of water found in Earth’s oceans. It is widely accepted that Earth’s oceans were the cradle of life on our planet.
Europa, with a diameter of approximately 1,940 miles (3,100 km), is about 90% the size of Earth’s moon and is considered a promising candidate for extraterrestrial life within our solar system.
It is thought that an icy crust, measuring between 10 to 15 miles (15 to 25 km) in thickness, covers a subsurface ocean that may extend to depths of 40 to 100 miles (60 to 150 km).
NASA is off to Europa.
Arthur C Clarkes 2010 Sci-fi warning, dont hold back those with the Right Stuff.“All these worlds are yours. Except Europa. Attempt no landing there.” – Arthur C. Clarke, 2010: Odyssey Two
It is 2024 now after all.
https://t.co/mxIKl8bofM via @YouTube
— titch ashen (@titchashen) October 15, 2024
NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free stated during a prelaunch briefing on Sunday that Europa presents one of the most promising environments for potential habitability within our solar system, aside from Earth. However, he emphasized that this mission is not intended to search for any actual living organisms.
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