NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft is set to embark on a six-year journey to Jupiter’s moon of Europa to search for signs of potential life in its icy ocean world. Originally scheduled for launch on Oct. 10, the mission was delayed due to Hurricane Milton, which hit the Florida coast where the Kennedy Space Center is located. The launch is now set for Monday, with a launch window open until Nov. 6.
The Europa Clipper will travel on a 1.8 billion-mile journey to Europa, passing Mars and Earth to gain speed for the trip. Once it arrives in April 2030, the spacecraft will conduct nearly 50 flybys of the moon to map and scan its surface and subsurface to determine its habitability. Scientists believe Europa’s vast ocean beneath its icy surface could potentially support life, making it a key target for exploration.
NASA will provide live coverage of the prelaunch and launch activities on its website and NASA+ starting at 11 a.m. The mission marks a significant step in planetary exploration, as the Clipper is the largest spacecraft developed by NASA for such a mission. By studying Europa, scientists hope to gain insight into the potential for life beyond Earth and expand our understanding of the possibilities of habitable worlds in our solar system.
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