Europa Clipper launch LIVE: NASA’s largest probe to begin journey to Jupiter’s moon

NASA is set to launch a historic mission as the Europa Clipper spacecraft observes Jupiter’s watery moon.

The spacecraft will launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This $5 billion mission aims to explore Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons, to determine whether it could harbor conditions suitable for life.

WATCH THE LAUNCH OF THE EUROPA CLIPPER MISSION LIVE HERE

Europa, with its vast underground ocean, has long intrigued scientists. The spacecraft, the largest ever built by NASA for a planetary mission, will travel 2.9 billion kilometers over a period of six years and arrive in Europe in 2030.

Upon arrival, Europa Clipper will make 49 close flybys of the icy moon.

Armed with nine sophisticated scientific instruments, including cameras, spectrometers and radar, the spacecraft will collect crucial data about Europa’s ice shell and the ocean hidden beneath.

One of the main objectives of the mission is to determine the thickness of Europa’s ice crust and study the possibility of pockets of water within it.

In addition, the spacecraft will study the Moon’s atmosphere and look for evidence of plumes of water rising from its surface, which could provide critical clues in the search for life.

Europa Clipper’s design takes into account the intense radiation environment around Jupiter. To protect its electronics, the spacecraft is equipped with a radiation-protected aluminum vault.

Its innovative orbit around Jupiter will allow it to make repeated passes around Europa while minimizing exposure to harmful radiation.

The data collected during this mission has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of habitable worlds beyond Earth.

Scientists are eager to discover whether Europe’s environment could support life, with the possibility of detecting organic materials or chemical signatures crucial to the existence of life.