NASA launches Europa Clipper into space in search for signs of life on Jupiter’s moon
Karina Holden is Head of Factual at Northern Pictures, Australian Geographic’s sister company.
At 12.06 EST today (15 October 2024 in Australia) the historic Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center erupted with energy and anticipation as the Falcon Heavy rocket took to the skies, marking a monumental moment in space exploration.
The rocket is carrying the Europa Clipper spacecraft, the largest and most advanced spacecraft ever built, on a journey of almost 3 billion kilometres to an intriguing destination: Europa, one of Jupiter’s icy moons.
This mission marks a new chapter in space exploration, with the largest spacecraft ever built embarking on a 5.5-year journey to Europa, where a hidden ocean lies beneath the icy surface. Equipped with 10 advanced scientific instruments, the unmanned Europa Clipper will perform more than 40 fly-bys, searching for signs of habitability and potential life in this alien environment.
As the rocket roared to life, the excitement among the crowds gathered on the surrounding beaches and at the Kennedy Space Centre was palpable. This launch symbolises hope, curiosity and the promise of discovery, echoing the spirit of exploration that has defined our journey into space.
What makes Europa so compelling? Beneath its thick ice crust lies a vast ocean of water, which is believed to be in contact with the moon’s rocky mantle. This environment could provide the necessary conditions for life as we know it. The Europa Clipper will look for organic compounds, measure the moon’s ice thickness, and assess the moon’s geology – each piece of data a potential key to unlocking the secrets of life beyond our planet.
The Europa Clipper mission represents a bold step into the unknown, a commitment to understanding the universe, and could perhaps, in time, change our understanding of life beyond Earth.
Take a deep dive into the unique science data Europa Clipper will collect, and the instruments it will use, as it explores Jupiter’s icy moon: