Nasa launches Europa Clipper to explore potential life on Jupiter’s moon – Times of India

Nasa successfully launched the Europa Clipper spacecraft from Kennedy Space Center in Florida to explore Jupiter’s moon Europa for signs of life. The mission, costing $5.2 billion, aims to investigate Europa’s subsurface ocean beneath a thick ice shell. The spacecraft is equipped with nine instruments to study the moon’s ocean depth, surface compounds, and magnetic field. Despite facing challenges like radiation from Jupiter, the mission is expected to provide valuable insights for astrobiology. After traveling 1.8 billion miles over 5-1/2 years, the spacecraft will conduct 49 flybys of Europa in a highly radioactive environment. The mission’s goal is to determine if Europa has the necessary elements to support life, like water, energy, and carbon-based molecules.