NASA’s Europa Clipper ‘Fueled Up and Nearly Ready to Go’ for Launch on October 10
NASA’s Europa Clipper mission, aimed at exploring Jupiter and its moon Europa, is now “fuelled up and nearly ready to go” for launch on October 10.
The Europa Clipper will embark on its inaugural mission to conduct a detailed scientific investigation of Jupiter’s moon Europa, using SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket from NASA Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A. Scientists believe that beneath Europa’s icy crust lies a salty ocean that may contain the essential building blocks for life.
“Fueled up and nearly ready to go! Technicians at @NASAKennedy have loaded the propellant and oxidizer that will power our spacecraft’s array of 24 engines as we explore Jupiter’s enigmatic moon Europa. The launch period opens on October 10!” NASA announced on X.
The Europa Clipper is expected to travel approximately 2.6 billion kilometers to reach the Jupiter system, with an arrival date set for 2030. During its journey, the spacecraft will perform a flyby of Mars in February 2025 and another flyby of Earth in December 2026. These gravity assists will help increase its momentum and achieve the velocity necessary to arrive at Jupiter in April 2030.
The primary scientific objective of the mission is to investigate whether there are regions beneath Europa’s surface that could support life. The team aims to understand the structure of the ice shell, the ocean beneath it, and the moon’s composition and geology.
Once in orbit around Jupiter, the spacecraft will conduct approximately 50 flybys of Europa, covering an additional 800,000 kilometers while its suite of scientific instruments gathers data on the subsurface ocean, the icy crust, and the moon’s atmosphere.
The results of this mission will enhance our understanding of the astrobiological potential for habitable worlds beyond Earth.
The Europa Clipper’s propulsion module measures 3 meters long and 1.5 meters wide, housing 24 engines and 2,752.2 kilograms of propellant in two propulsion tanks, along with the spacecraft’s helium pressurant tanks.
