Europa Clipper spacecraft: On October 10, NASA is launching a new mission to Jupiter’s fourth largest moon Europa. This spacecraft named Europa Clipper will do a detailed study of the Moon. Along with this, it will search for possible places where alien life may exist on Europa. The purpose of this Europa Clipper mission is to find out whether life can exist on Europa or not.
Europa was discovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610, which has been attracting scientists for a long time. Scientists have discovered that Europa has a large ocean beneath its thick icy shell. The spacecraft will begin its journey from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida with a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.
This spacecraft was built at a cost of 5 billion dollars
After taking off, it will first go towards Mars. On 27 February 2025, with the help of gravity, it will increase its speed and come towards the Earth. At the same time, in December 2026, once again with the help of Earth’s gravity, it will be launched towards Jupiter at high speed. Europa Clipper will reach Jupiter by 11 April 2030. Let us tell you that the cost of making this spacecraft was 5 billion dollars.
It will take about a year
Scientists have said in a paper published in the Journal of Guidance, Control and Dynamics that it will reach close to Jupiter on April 11, 2030. Jupiter is a gaseous planet and will enter a long looping orbit of Jupiter.
According to the Atmospheric and Space Physics Laboratory at the University of Colorado Boulder, it will take 1 year to adjust its orbit. It will revolve around Europa about 50 times. At the same time, through flyby, scientists will get a chance to analyze the moon’s ice, possible depth of the ocean and habitability.
