Produced by: Tarun Mishra
NASA's Europa Clipper mission is on track for its scheduled launch on October 10, 2024. The spacecraft will be launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The mission passed a crucial technical milestone, Key Decision Point E (KDP-E), which ensures that the spacecraft and its systems are ready for launch. This review marked a significant step towards final preparations for the mission.
Europa Clipper is designed to study Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa, which is believed to have a subsurface ocean. The mission aims to investigate the moon's habitability and assess whether it could support life.
Earlier this year, the mission team discovered issues with Clipper’s transistors, which control electrical flow and were more susceptible to Jupiter’s intense radiation than initially thought. After extensive testing, the team determined that the transistors should hold up during the mission.
Europa Clipper will conduct nearly 50 close flybys of Europa. The spacecraft will be exposed to radiation for short durations during each flyby, allowing the transistors to recover between orbits. This mission design reduces the overall impact of radiation.
The team will continue to monitor the transistors throughout the mission. Despite the challenges, NASA officials expressed confidence that the spacecraft will complete its full mission as planned.
Europa Clipper is the largest spacecraft NASA has built for planetary exploration. With its solar arrays extended, it will span 100 feet (30 meters) and weigh around 13,000 pounds (6,000 kilograms), making it longer than a basketball court.
The spacecraft will carry nine scientific instruments to study Europa’s surface and its subsurface ocean. It is expected to reach Jupiter in 2030, where it will conduct detailed studies to determine if the moon is capable of supporting life.