NASA Awaits ‘All-Clear’ for Mission to Search for Life on Jupiter’s Moon

Space agency is gearing up to send Europa Clipper, the largest spacecraft it has developed for a planetary mission, on a 1.8-billion-mile journey.

Monday, October 07, 2024 at 12:55 PM ET

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An artist’s concept of NASA’s Europa Clipper, the largest spacecraft the agency has developed for a planetary mission. [Courtesy: NASA]

Key Takeaways:

NASA's Europa Clipper is the largest spacecraft developed for a planetary mission, designed to search for signs of life on Jupiter's icy moon Europa by studying its believed vast subsurface ocean.
The mission will conduct nearly 50 close flybys of Europa with nine science instruments to explore its composition, geography, and scan for water beneath its surface, aiming to enter Jovian orbit in 2030 and begin science operations in 2031.
The launch, originally scheduled for Thursday, was delayed due to Hurricane Milton, but the launch window remains open until November 6 for the spacecraft to embark on its 1.8 billion-mile journey.

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NASA is gearing up to search for signs of life on Jupiter’s frozen moon with Europa Clipper, the largest spacecraft it has ever developed for a planetary mission.

The agency on Sunday stood down from Thursday’s scheduled Europa Clipper launch due to the approaching Hurricane Milton. But crews on Friday completed one of the final steps in the prelaunch checklist, moving the spacecraft to the hangar at Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch window remains open until November 6.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.