NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft is set to embark on a six-year journey to Jupiter’s moon Europa in search of signs that it could sustain life. Originally scheduled for launch on October 10, the mission was delayed due to Hurricane Milton, which brought heavy rain and high winds to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch is now scheduled for Monday at 12:06 p.m. EDT, with a launch window open until November 6.
The Europa Clipper will travel 1.8 billion miles to Europa, using the gravity of Mars and Earth to gain speed along the way. Upon arrival in April 2030, the spacecraft will begin a series of nearly 50 flybys to map and scan the moon’s surface and subsurface to determine its potential habitability.
Europa is believed to have a vast ocean beneath its icy surface, making it a prime candidate for finding extraterrestrial life. Scientists suspect that the moon’s icy crust may hide evidence of organic compounds and energy sources necessary for life to exist. The Europa Clipper, equipped with solar arrays and radar antennas, is the largest spacecraft NASA has ever developed for a planetary mission.
Live coverage of the prelaunch and launch activities can be viewed on NASA’s website and NASA+ starting at 11 a.m. Monday. The mission represents a significant step in NASA’s exploration of potentially habitable worlds beyond Earth, with the goal of understanding the conditions necessary to support life in the universe.
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