NASA’s Europa Clipper mission, launched on October 14, 2025, from Kennedy Space Center, aims to investigate Jupiter’s moon Europa for signs of habitability.
The $5.2 billion spacecraft, equipped with nine instruments including ice-penetrating radar and spectrometers, will conduct 49 flybys to study Europa’s icy crust and suspected subsurface ocean, which may harbor more water than Earth’s oceans combined.
Scientists, led by principal investigator Robert Pappalardo, seek to confirm conditions for life, such as water, energy, and chemical compounds.
The probe, arriving at Jupiter in April 2030 after a 1.8-billion-mile journey, will orbit the planet every three weeks, diving within 16 miles of Europa’s surface.
Challenges include Jupiter’s intense radiation, requiring a titanium-aluminum vault to protect electronics.
The mission, NASA’s largest planetary probe at 13,000 pounds, builds on Galileo’s 1990s findings and complements ESA’s JUICE mission.
Public engagement includes a vault plate with global messages, highlighting humanity’s quest for extraterrestrial life.
The $5.2 billion spacecraft, equipped with nine instruments including ice-penetrating radar and spectrometers, will conduct 49 flybys to study Europa’s icy crust and suspected subsurface ocean, which may harbor more water than Earth’s oceans combined.
Scientists, led by principal investigator Robert Pappalardo, seek to confirm conditions for life, such as water, energy, and chemical compounds.
The probe, arriving at Jupiter in April 2030 after a 1.8-billion-mile journey, will orbit the planet every three weeks, diving within 16 miles of Europa’s surface.
Challenges include Jupiter’s intense radiation, requiring a titanium-aluminum vault to protect electronics.
The mission, NASA’s largest planetary probe at 13,000 pounds, builds on Galileo’s 1990s findings and complements ESA’s JUICE mission.
Public engagement includes a vault plate with global messages, highlighting humanity’s quest for extraterrestrial life.