In the sci-fi classic “2010: The Year We Make Contact”, a manned mission headed to Europa received an ominous warning from alien monoliths, “All these worlds are yours except Europa – attempt no landing there.“NASA is very likely hoping this bit of science fiction stays that way as they prepare to launch a new mission to explore Jupiter’s icy moon.
Nasa’s Europa Clipper mission is set to launch this October aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Clipper’s Falcon Heavy launch vehicle will be completely expended in getting Europa Clipper far enough from Earth to complete it’s mission profile. After all Jupiter is a LONG ways off!
Getting to a moving target as far away as Europa requires precision timing, so NASA only has a three week window to get this bird in the air. The Clipper’s launch window opens on October 10th at 12:31 PM EDT and is remains open until the 21st. With Polaris Dawn successfully launching on September 10th, pad 39a is now cleared to be converted to support the Falcon Heavy launch that will send Europa Clipper on it’s way.
So what’s the Europa Clipper mission all about? NASA’s Europa Clipper mission is primarily focused on exploring whether Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa, harbors environments beneath its surface that could sustain life.
The mission has three key scientific objectives: to study the characteristics of the moon’s ice shell, investigate the ocean beneath it, and analyze its composition and geology. Europa has shown compelling evidence of a vast ocean of liquid water hidden beneath its icy crust. Outside of Earth, it is one of the most promising locations in the solar system where potentially habitable environments may exist. The Europa Clipper mission aims to investigate whether conditions below the moon’s surface could support life. Through these efforts, scientists aim to deepen our understanding of the potential for habitable worlds beyond Earth.
To achieve this, the spacecraft will be equipped with a range of advanced instruments. These include cameras and spectrometers to capture high-resolution images and create detailed maps of Europa’s surface and thin atmosphere. An ice-penetrating radar will search for water beneath the ice, while a magnetometer and gravity measurements will provide insights into the moon’s ocean and deep interior. Additionally, the spacecraft will carry a thermal instrument to identify areas of warmer ice, which may point to recent water eruptions. Other instruments will analyze the composition of tiny particles in Europa’s thin atmosphere and the surrounding space environment.
The Europa Clipper spacecraft will conduct nearly 50 close flybys of Europa while orbiting Jupiter, collecting precise data to explore the moon. During these flybys, the spacecraft will pass as close as 16 miles (25 kilometers) above the surface, examining different regions with each approach to cover nearly the entire moon.
The Europa Clipper program was originally drafted in 2013. Scientists were looking for a way to continue the work of the Galileo space probe that was exploring Jupiter in the late 1990s. During that mission, Galileo discovered ice on the subsurface of Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons. Scientists believe that Europa also has atmospheric conditions (or has had in the past) that are capable of supporting life. The objectives of the mission include exploring the ocean beneath Europa’s ice and the geological components of the moon. Scientists hope that this mission could prove other habitual bodies exist in the solar system.
Europa Clipper is the largest space probe ever to be developed by NASA. The space probe has a massive solar array capable of powering the probe during both its journey to Europa and actual mission. When deployed, the array will span well over 100 feet. Multiple antennas will be used to conduct research. The space probe and components are covered with a “shield” to protect from Jupiter’s harsh radiation environment.
Following this year’s scheduled October launch, the space probe will spend the next 6 years cruising towards Jupiter. In April 2030, the probe will slow and enter Jupiter’s orbit, exploring other Jupiter moons, including Ganymede. The first Europa flyby is slated for spring, 2031. After a few years of scientific research, the mission will end in late 2034, with a deorbit into Ganymede’s surface. The overall journey will cost NASA roughly 5 billion dollars.
The Europa Clipper probe was built by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California with help from many domestic partners and universities, including Johns Hopkins University in Maryland.
The Mission Has To Overcome Some Serious Obstacles
The mission has faced many obstacles as the mission profile has progressed, with the most significant involving radiation exposure. Most recently, in July, NASA announced that transistors and other electrical components of the space probe could fail in the high-radiation environment from Jupiter’s magnetic field. NASA reported then that additional testing would need to be conducted that could ultimately alter the upcoming launch attempts.
NASA issued a statement on August 28th reporting positive results of their testing. “Analysis of the results suggests the transistors can support the baseline mission,” NASA said in its statement. NASA never formally announced the exact results of their testing, or what tests were performed. The official statement from NASA can be found here.
As of now, NASA is continuing with operations for an on-time launch. On September 9th, Key Decision Point E, one of the final landmarks to begin launch operations, was passed. The final closeout preparations has now begun for launch at the Kennedy Space Center.
A Change of Rides
Europa Clipper was originally scheduled to launch on an SLS rocket. However, NASA decided in 2021 that a Falcon Heavy launch would be preferred due to launch costs, vehicle stability, and SLS availability. Because SLS uses solid rocket boosters (SRBs), the payload experiences significant shaking, which the probe is not equipped to withstand (Falcon Heavy does not use SRBs). Launching on Falcon Heavy saved the project an estimated two billion dollars according to Eric Berger. NASA had also hoped to launch on SLS because it could fly directly to Jupiter, without assistance from the orbits of other planets (creating a longer flight plan). ULA’s recently discontinued Delta IV Heavy rocket was also considered during the mission planning.
The Europa Clipper mission represents a rare opportunity to explore one of the most intriguing moons in our solar system. By probing Europa’s icy surface and the ocean that may lie beneath, the mission aims to uncover clues about the moon’s habitability and the potential for life beyond Earth. Through its advanced instruments and repetitive flybys, Europa Clipper will provide critical data to expand our knowledge of planetary science and astrobiology, offering new insights into the possibilities for life in our solar system.
