'On track for 2030': NASA’s Europa Clipper just used Mars as a slingshot
Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Mars Slingshot Boost
NASA’s Europa Clipper just skimmed 550 miles above Mars, using the planet’s gravity to slingshot itself toward Jupiter—a critical step in its 1.8-billion-mile journey.
Billion-Mile Mission
Launched in October 2024, the $5.2 billion spacecraft is NASA’s first dedicated mission to Europa, where an underground ocean may harbor alien life beneath its icy shell.
A Giant in Space
Europa Clipper is the size of a basketball court, with enormous solar panels. This flyby helped refine its precise trajectory toward the mysterious moon of Jupiter.
The Gravity Assist
By passing Mars at 15.2 miles per second, Clipper used its gravity like a cosmic slingshot, adjusting speed and direction without using extra fuel.
Credit: NASA
A Space Billiards Shot
"Everything had to line up perfectly," said NASA’s Ben Bradley. The flyby was like a solar system billiards game, where precision determines mission success.
Credit: NASA
Testing for Europa
The flyby wasn’t just about navigation—NASA also tested critical instruments, including a thermal imager and radar system, both vital for studying Europa’s icy surface.
A Rare Radar Test
Clipper’s radar, designed to scan Europa’s ice for hidden oceans, is so large it couldn’t be fully tested on Earth—this Mars flyby provided a key trial run.
Credit: NASA
The Search for Life
If Europa’s subsurface ocean exists, it could have conditions for extraterrestrial life. Clipper’s data will help answer one of astronomy’s biggest questions.
The Journey Continues
Now heading deeper into space, Europa Clipper is on track for Jupiter arrival in 2030—bringing humanity closer than ever to unlocking Europa’s secrets.