Bound for Jupiter

Image Credit:  Michael Howard 

Kennedy Space Center, FL. – Liftoff! At 12:06 PM EDT, a SpaceX Falcon Heavy roared to life sending the Europa Clipper on a journey of 1.8 billion miles towards Jupiter and its fourth largest moon Europa. The journey will be a long one as the Europa Clipper is not scheduled to arrive at Jupiter until April 2030. To aid the spacecraft on the trip, Europa Clipper will get assistance from both Mars and Earth. It will use “gravity assist” to help propel the satellite on this journey.

Image Credit:  Michael Howard

Upon the arrival at Jupiter, Europa Clipper will make a close flyby of Jupiter’s moon Ganymede. The science of this mission is to study Europa and the possibility that this icy world can support life. It is believed and hoped that Europa contains the elements for life including water, as well as the energy needed for life.

The satellite will be making multiple passes of the moon to learn of the ocean world beneath the ice that covers Europa. As well as other geology of this moon. This interplanetary craft is the largest built by NASA and carries nine science experiments, as well as a gravity experiment.

Image Credit:  Michael Howard

In a statement from NASA: “Congratulations to our Europa Clipper team for beginning the first journey to an ocean world beyond Earth,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “NASA leads the world in exploration and discovery, and the Europa Clipper mission is no different. By exploring the unknown, Europa Clipper will help us better understand whether there is the potential for life not just within our solar system, but among the billions of moons and planets beyond our Sun.”

Image Credit:  Michael Howard

Of some concern, is the radiation that the craft will encounter once it arrives at the Jovian world. The flight path of the satellite is designed to help minimize the overall amount of radiation that the craft will experience in the planned 49 flybys of Europa, seven flybys of the moon Ganymede and nine by the moon Callisto. A special vault was designed to help protect the electronics of Europa Clipper. Jupiter, is one of the wonders we can see in the night sky without a telescope. What wonders are we about to experience in the years ahead?  Story and Images:  Michael Howard for We Report Space

Image Credit:  Michael Howard