Wikipedia

Europa Clipper

Europa Clipper(previously known asEuropa Multiple Flyby Mission) is aspace probedeveloped byNASAto studyEuropa,aGalilean moonofJupiter.It was launched on October 14, 2024.[15]The spacecraft will usegravity assistsfrom Mars on March 1, 2025,[10]and Earth on December 3, 2026,[11]before arriving at Europa in April 2030.[16]The spacecraft will then perform a series offlybysof Europa while in orbit around Jupiter.[17][18]

Europa Clipper
Artist's rendering of the Europa Clipper spacecraft
NamesEuropa Multiple Flyby Mission
Mission typeEuropareconnaissance
OperatorNASA
COSPAR ID2024-182AEdit this at Wikidata
SATCATno.61507Edit this on Wikidata
Websiteeuropa.nasa.gov
Mission durationCruise: 5.5 years[1][2]
Science phase: 4 years
Elapsed: 4 months, 10 days
Spacecraft properties
ManufacturerJet Propulsion Laboratory
Launch mass6,065 kg (13,371 lb),[3][4][5]including 2,750 kg (6,060 lb) propellant[6]
Dry mass3,241 kg (7,145 lb)[7]
Payload mass352 kg (776 lb)
DimensionsHeight: 6 m (20 ft)
Solar panel span: 22 m (72 ft)[4]
Power600 watts fromsolar panels[8]
Start of mission
Launch dateOctober 14, 2024, 16:06:00(2024-10-14UTC16:06Z)UTC(12:06 p.m.EDT)
RocketFalcon HeavyBlock 5[9]
Launch siteKennedy,LC-39A
ContractorSpaceX
Flyby ofMars(gravity assist)
Closest approachMarch 1, 2025 1 PM EST[10]
Flyby of Earth(gravity assist)
Closest approachDecember 3, 2026 4:15 PM EST[11]
Jupiter orbiter
Orbital insertionApril 11, 2030 (first closest approach to Europa)[12]
Orbits49[4][13]

Europa Clipper mission patch
Large Strategic Science Missions
Planetary Science Division

Europa Clipper is designed to follow up on evidence for a subsurface ocean underneath Europa's icecrust,found using theGalileospacecraft which orbited Jupiter from 1995 to 2003. Plans to send a spacecraft to Europa were initially conceived with projects such asEuropa OrbiterandJupiter Icy Moons Orbiter,in which a spacecraft would be inserted into orbit around Europa. However, due to the adverse effects ofradiationfrom themagnetosphere of Jupiterin Europa orbit, it was decided that it would be safer to insert a spacecraft into anelliptical orbitaround Jupiter and make 49 close flybys of the moon instead.[19]The Europa Clipper spacecraft is larger than any other used for previous NASA planetary missions.[20]

The spacecraft will analyze the presence of aninduced magnetic field around Europa,and attempt to detect plumes of waterejectafrom a subsurface ocean; in addition to various other tests.[21]

The mission's name is a reference to the lightweight and fastclipper shipsof the 19th century that routinely plied trade routes, since the spacecraft will pass by Europa at a rapid cadence, as frequently as every two weeks. The mission patch, which features a depiction of a sail ship, references the moniker.[22]

Europa Clipper complements theESA'sJupiter Icy Moons Explorer,launched in 2023, which will attempt to fly past Europa twice andCallistomultiple times before moving into orbit aroundGanymede.

History

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Early proposals and Galileo discoveries

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In 1997, aEuropa Orbitermission was proposed by a team for NASA'sDiscovery Program[23]but was not selected. NASA's JPL announced one month after the selection of Discovery proposals that a NASA Europa orbiter mission would be conducted. JPL then invited the Discovery proposal team to be the Mission Review Committee (MRC).[citation needed]

At the same time as the proposal of the Discovery-class Europa Orbiter, the roboticGalileospacecraft was already orbiting Jupiter. From December 8, 1995, to December 7, 1997, Galileo conducted the primary mission after entering the orbit of Jupiter. On that final date, the Galileo orbiter commenced an extended mission known as the Galileo Europa Mission (GEM), which ran until December 31, 1999. This was a low-cost mission extension with a budget of only US$30 million. The smaller team of about 40–50 people (compared with the primary mission's 200-person team from 1995 to 1997) did not have the resources to deal with problems, but when they arose, it was able to temporarily recall former team members (called "tiger teams" ) for intensive efforts to solve them. The spacecraft made several flybys of Europa (8),Callisto(4) andIo(2). On each flyby of the three moons it encountered, the spacecraft collected only two days' worth of data instead of the seven it had collected during the primary mission.[24]During GEM's eight flybys of Europa, it ranged from 196 to 3,582 km (122 to 2,226 mi), in two years.[24]

Europa has been identified as one of the locations in theSolar Systemthat could possibly harbor microbialextraterrestrial life.[25][26][27]Immediately following the Galileo spacecraft's discoveries and the independent Discovery program proposal for a Europa orbiter, JPL conducted preliminary mission studies that envisioned a capable spacecraft such as theJupiter Icy Moons Orbiter(a US$16 billion mission concept),[28]theJupiter Europa Orbiter(a US$4.3 billion concept), another orbiter (US$2 billion concept), and a multi-flyby spacecraft: Europa Clipper.[29]

A mission to Europa was recommended by theNational Research Councilin 2013.[25][27]The approximate cost estimate rose from US$2 billion in 2013 to US$4.25 billion in 2020.[30][31]The mission is a joint project between theJohns Hopkins University'sApplied Physics Laboratory(APL), and theJet Propulsion Laboratory(JPL).[1][32]

Funding put forward

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In March 2013, US$75 million was authorized to expand on the formulation of mission activities, mature the proposed science goals, and fund preliminary instrument development,[33]as suggested in 2011 by thePlanetary Science Decadal Survey.[1][27]In May 2014, a House bill substantially increased the Europa Clipper (referred to asEuropa Multiple Flyby Mission) funding budget for the 2014 fiscal year from US$15 million[34][35]to US$100 million to be applied to pre-formulation work.[36][37]Following the2014 election cycle,bipartisan support was pledged to continue funding for theEuropa Multiple Flyby Missionproject.[38][39]The executive branch also granted US$30 million for preliminary studies.[40][41]

Formulation

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In April 2015, NASA invited theESAto submit concepts for an additional probe to fly together with the Europa Clipper spacecraft, with a mass limit of 250 kg.[42]It could be a simple probe, an impactor,[43]or a lander.[44]An internal assessment at ESA considered whether there was interest and funds available,[45][46][47][48]opening a collaboration scheme similar to the very successfulCassini–Huygensapproach.[48]

In May 2015, NASA chose nine instruments that would fly on board the orbiter, budgeted to cost about US$110 million over the next three years.[49]In June 2015, NASA approved the mission concept, allowing the orbiter to move to its formulation stage.[50]In January 2016, NASA approved the addition of a lander,[51][52]but this was canceled in 2017 because it was deemed too risky.[53]In May 2016, theOcean Worlds Exploration Programwas approved,[54]of which the Europa mission is part.[55]

In February 2017, the mission moved from Phase A to Phase B (the preliminary design phase).[56]On July 18, 2017, the House Space Subcommittee held hearings on the Europa Clipper as a scheduledLarge Strategic Science Missionsclass, and to discuss a possible follow up mission simply known as theEuropa Lander.[57]Phase B continued into 2019.[56]In addition, subsystem vendors were selected, as well as prototype hardware elements for the science instruments. Spacecraft sub-assemblies were built and tested as well.[56]

Fabrication and assembly

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NASA's Europa Clipper, with all of its instruments installed, is visible in the clean room of High Bay 1 at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory

On August 19, 2019, the Europa Clipper proceeded to Phase C: final design and fabrication.[58]

On March 3, 2022, the spacecraft moved on to Phase D: assembly, testing, and launch.[59]On June 7, 2022, the main body of the spacecraft was completed.[60]By August 2022, the high-gain antenna had completed its major testing campaigns.[61]

By January 30, 2024, all of the science instruments were added to the spacecraft. The reason the instrument's electronics were aboard the spacecraft is because, while its antennas were added to the spacecraft's solar arrays at Kennedy Space Center later in the year, the former were not.[62]In March 2024, it was reported that the spacecraft underwent successful testing and was on track for launch later in the year.[63]In May 2024, the spacecraft arrived at Kennedy Space Center for final launch preparations.[64]In September 2024, final pre-launch review was successfully completed, clearing the way for launch.[65]In early October 2024, due to the incoming Hurricane Milton, the spacecraft was placed in secure storage for safekeeping until the hurricane passed.[66]

Launch

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In July 2024, the spacecraft faced concerns of delay and missing the launch window because of a discovery in June 2024 that its components were not as radiation-hardened as previously believed.[67]However, over the summer, intensive re-testing of the transistor components in question found that they would likely be annealed enough to 'self-heal'.[68][69]In September 2024, Europa Clipper was approved for a launch window opening on October 10, 2024;[68][70][69]however, on October 6, 2024, NASA announced that it would be standing down from the October 10 launch due toHurricane Milton.Europa Clipper was finally launched on October 14, 2024.[66]

End of mission planning

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The probe is scheduled to be crashed into Jupiter,Ganymede,or Callisto, to prevent it from crashing into Europa. In June 2022, lead project scientist Robert Pappalardo revealed that mission planners for Europa Clipper were considering disposing of the probe by crashing it into the surface of Ganymede in case an extended mission was not approved early in the main science phase. He noted that an impact would help the ESA'sJUICEmission collect more information about Ganymede's surface chemistry.[71][72]In a 2024 paper, Pappalardo said the mission would last four years in Jupiter orbit, and that the disposal was targeted for September 3, 2034, if NASA did not approve a mission extension.[73]

Objectives

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The photo composite of suspected water plumes on Europa
The concept to achieve global-regional coverage of Europa during successive flybys

The goals of Europa Clipper are to explore Europa, investigate itshabitabilityand aid in the selection of a landing site for the proposedEuropa Lander.[52][74]This exploration is focused on understanding the three main requirements for life:liquid water,chemistry,and energy.[75]Specifically, the objectives are to study:[32]

  • Ice shell and ocean: Confirm the existence and characterize the nature of water within or beneath the ice, and study processes of surface-ice-ocean exchange.
  • Composition: Distribution and chemistry of key compounds and the links to ocean composition.
  • Geology: Characteristics and formation of surface features, including sites of recent or current activity.

The spacecraft carriesscientific instrumentswhich will be used to analyze the potential presence of geothermal activity and the Moon'sinduced magnetic field;which in turn will provide an indication to the presence of saline rich subsurface ocean(s).[76][77]

Strategy

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A wide orbit of Jupiter with several flybys of Europa will minimize radiation exposure and increase data transfer speed.

Because Europa lies well within theharsh radiation fieldssurrounding Jupiter, even a radiation-hardened spacecraft in near orbit would be functional for just a few months.[29]Most instruments can gather data far faster than the communications system can transmit it to Earth due to the limited number of antennas available on Earth to receive the scientific data.[29]Therefore, another key limiting factor on science for a Europa orbiter is the time available to return data to Earth. In contrast, the amount of time during which the instruments can make close-up observations is less important.[29]

Studies by scientists from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory show that by performing several flybys with many months to return data, the Europa Clipper concept will enable a US$2 billion mission to conduct the most crucial measurements of the canceled US$4.3 billionJupiter Europa Orbiterconcept.[29]Between each of the flybys, the spacecraft will have seven to ten days to transmit data stored during each brief encounter. That will let the spacecraft have up to a year of time to transmit its data compared to just 30 days for an orbiter. The result will be almost three times as much data returned to Earth, while reducing exposure to radiation.[29]Europa Clipper will not orbit Europa, but will instead orbitJupiterand conduct 44flybysof Europa, each at altitudes ranging from 25 km to 2,700 km (16 mi to 1,678 mi) during its 3.5-year mission.[4][2][78]A key feature of the mission concept is that Europa Clipper would usegravity assistsfrom Europa, Ganymede and Callisto to change its trajectory, allowing the spacecraft to return to a different close approach point with each flyby.[2]Each flyby would cover a different sector of Europa to achieve a medium-quality global topographic survey, including ice thickness.[79]Europa Clipper could conceivably fly by at low altitude through the plumes of water vapor erupting from the moon's ice crust, thus sampling its subsurface ocean without having to land on the surface and drill through the ice.[34][35]

The spacecraft is expected to receive a total ionizing dose of 2.8 megarads (28 kGy) during the mission. Shielding from Jupiter's harsh radiation belt will be provided by a radiation vault with 0.3 inches (7.6 mm) thick aluminum alloy walls, which enclose the spacecraft electronics.[80]To maximize the effectiveness of this shielding, the electronics are also nested in the core of the spacecraft for additional radiation protection.[79]

Design and construction

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Spacecraft diagram

This mission is a flight of NASA'sPlanetary Science Division,designated aLarge Strategic Science Mission,and funded under thePlanetary Missions Program Office'sSolar System Exploration programas its second flight.[57][81]It is also supported by the newOcean Worlds Exploration Program.[55]

Thespacecraft busis a 5-meter-long combination of a 150-cm-wide aluminum cylindrical propulsion module and a rectangular box.[6]The electronic components are protected from the intense radiation by a 150-kilogramtitanium,zincand aluminum shielded vault in the box.[4][79]The spacecraft payload and trajectory are subject to change as the mission design matures.[82][needs update]

Power

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Bothradioisotope thermoelectric generator(RTG) andphotovoltaicpower sources were assessed to power the orbiter.[83]Although solar power is only 4% as intense at Jupiter as it is in Earth's orbit, powering a Jupiter orbital spacecraft bysolar panelswas demonstrated by theJuno mission.The alternative to solar panels was amulti-mission radioisotope thermoelectric generator(MMRTG), fueled withplutonium-238.[2][79]The power source has already been demonstrated in theMars Science Laboratory(MSL) mission. Five units were available, with one reserved for theMars 2020 rover missionand another as backup. In September 2013, it was decided that the solar array was the less expensive option to power the spacecraft, and on October 3, 2014, it was announced that solar panels were chosen to power Europa Clipper. The mission's designers determined that solar power was both cheaper than plutonium and practical to use on the spacecraft.[83]Despite the increased weight of solar panels compared to plutonium-powered generators, the vehicle's mass had been projected to still be within acceptable launch limits.[84]

Each panel has a surface area of 18 m2(190 sq ft) and produces 150 watts continuously when pointed towards the Sun while orbiting Jupiter.[85]While in Europa's shadow, batteries will enable the spacecraft to continue gathering data. However,ionizing radiationcan damage solar panels. The Europa Clipper'sorbit will pass through Jupiter's intense magnetosphere, which is expected to gradually degrade the solar panels as the mission progresses.[79]The solar panels were provided byAirbus Defence and Space,Netherlands.[86]

Propulsion

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The propulsion subsystem was built by NASA'sGoddard Space Flight CenterinGreenbelt, Maryland.It is part of the Propulsion Module,[87]delivered byJohns Hopkins Applied Physics LaboratoryinLaurel, Maryland.It is 3 metres (10 ft) tall, 1.5 metres (5 ft) in diameter and comprises about two-thirds of the spacecraft's main body. The propulsion subsystem carries nearly 2,700 kilograms (6,000 lb) ofmonomethyl hydrazineanddinitrogen tetroxidepropellant, 50% to 60% of which will be used for the 6 to 8-hour Jupiter orbit insertion burn. The spacecraft has a total of 24 rocket engines rated at 27.5 N (6.2 lbf) thrust for attitude control and propulsion.[6]

Communication

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Prototype of the high-gain antenna during testing

The probe contains multiple antennas, including the high-gain antenna, which has a 3.1-meter (10-foot) diameter. The high-gain antenna operates onX-bandfrequencies of 7.2 and 8.4 gigahertz, and aKa-bandfrequency of 32 gigahertz (12 times that of a typical cell phone).The antennas will be used to research gravity and radio science, allowing researchers to learn more about Europa's gravity[88]It was designed and constructed by a team led by Matt Bray at theJohns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory,before being tested atLangley Research CenterandGoddard Space Flight Centerin the spring and summer of 2022.[61]

Scientific equipment

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The Europa Clipper mission is equipped with nine scientific instruments.[89]The nine science instruments for the orbiter, announced in May 2015, have a planned total mass of 82 kg (181 lb).[needs update][90]

Europa Thermal Emission Imaging System (E-THEMIS)

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TheEuropa Thermal Emission Imaging Systemwill provide high spatial resolution as well as multi-spectral imaging of the surface of Europa in themidtofar infraredbands to help detect heat which would suggest geologically active sites and areas, such as potential vents erupting plumes of water into space.[91]

Theprincipal investigatorisPhilip ChristensenofArizona State University.This instrument is derived from theThermal Emission Imaging System(THEMIS) on the2001 Mars Odysseyorbiter, also developed by Philip Christensen.[92]

Mapping Imaging Spectrometer for Europa (MISE)

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TheMapping Imaging Spectrometer for Europainstrument

TheMapping Imaging Spectrometer for Europais an imagingnear infrared spectrometerto probe the surface composition of Europa, identifying and mapping the distributions oforganics(includingamino acidsandtholins[93][94]), salts, acid hydrates, water ice phases, and other materials.[94][95]

The principal investigator isDiana Blaneyof Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the instrument was built in collaboration with the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL).

Europa Imaging System (EIS)

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TheEuropa Imaging Systemconsists ofvisible spectrumcameras to map Europa's surface and study smaller areas in high resolution, as low as 0.5 m (20 in) per pixel. It consists of two cameras, both of which use 2048x4096 pixelCMOS detectors:[96][97]

  • TheWide-angle Camera (WAC)has a field of view of 48° by 24° and a resolution of 11 m (36 ft) from a 50 km (31 mi) altitude. Optically the WAC uses 8 lens refractive optics with an 8 mmapertureand a 46 mmfocal lengthwhich give it af-numberof f/5.75.[97]The WAC will obtain stereo imagery swaths throughout the mission.
  • TheNarrow-angle Camera (NAC)has a 2.3° by 1.2° field of view, giving it a resolution of 0.5 m (20 in) per pixel from a 50 km (31 mi) altitude. Optically the NAC uses aRitchey ChrétienCassegraintelescope with a 152 mm aperture and a 1000 mm focal length which give it a f-number of f/6.58.[97]The NAC is mounted on a 2-axis gimbal, allowing it to point at specific targets regardless of the main spacecraft's orientation. This will allow for mapping of >95% of Europa's surface at a resolution of ≤50 m (160 ft) per pixel. For reference, only around 14% of Europa's surface has previously been mapped at a resolution of ≤500 m (1,600 ft) per pixel.

The principal investigator isElizabeth Turtleof the Applied Physics Laboratory.

Europa Ultraviolet Spectrograph (Europa-UVS)

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TheEuropa Ultraviolet Spectrographinstrument will be able to detect small erupting plumes, and will provide valuable data about the composition and dynamics of the moon'sexosphere.[77]

The principal investigator is Kurt Retherford ofSouthwest Research Institute.Retherford was previously a member of the group that discovered plumes erupting from Europa while using theHubble Space Telescopein theUV spectrum.[98]

Radar for Europa Assessment and Sounding: Ocean to Near-surface (REASON)

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TheRadar for Europa Assessment and Sounding: Ocean to Near-surface(REASON)[99][100]is a dual-frequencyice penetrating radar(9 and 60 MHz) instrument that is designed to sound Europa's ice crust from the near-surface to the ocean, revealing the hidden structure of Europa's ice shell and potential water pockets within. REASON will probe theexosphere,surface and near-surface and the full depth of the ice shell to the ice-ocean interface up to 30 km.[94][99]

The principal investigator is Donald Blankenship of theUniversity of Texas at Austin.[101]This instrument was built by Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Europa Clipper Magnetometer (ECM)

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TheEuropa Clipper Magnetometer(ECM) will be used to analyze the magnetic field around Europa. The instrument consists of threeflux gatesplaced along an 8.5m (25ft) boom, which were stowed during launch and deployed afterwards.[102]The magnetic field of Jupiter is thought to induce electric current in a salty ocean beneath Europa’s ice, which in turn leads Europa to produce its own magnetic field, therefore by studying the strength and orientation of Europa's magnetic field over multiple flybys, scientists hope to be able to confirm the existence of Europa's subsurface ocean, as well as characterize the thickness of its icy crust and estimate the water's depth and salinity.[76]

The instrument team leader isMargaret Kivelson,University of Michigan.[103]

ECM replaced the proposedInterior Characterization of Europa using Magnetometry(ICEMAG) instrument, which was canceled due to cost overruns.[104]ECM is a simpler and cheaper magnetometer than ICEMAG would have been.[105]

Plasma Instrument for Magnetic Sounding (PIMS)

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Two of theFaraday cupsensors for thePlasma Instrument for Magnetic Sounding(PIMS) instrument. Left is the final flight configuration and right is at an earlier testing stage.

The Plasma Instrument for Magnetic Sounding (PIMS) measures theplasmasurrounding Europa to characterize the magnetic fields generated by plasma currents. These plasma currents mask themagnetic inductionresponse of Europa's subsurface ocean. In conjunction with a magnetometer, it is key to determining Europa's ice shell thickness, ocean depth, and salinity. PIMS will also probe the mechanisms responsible for weathering and releasing material from Europa's surface into theatmosphereandionosphereand understanding how Europa influences its local space environment and Jupiter'smagnetosphere.[106][107]

The principal investigator is Joseph Westlake of the Applied Physics Laboratory.

Mass Spectrometer for Planetary Exploration (MASPEX)

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TheMass Spectrometer for Planetary Exploration(MASPEX) will determine the composition of the surface and subsurface ocean by measuring Europa's extremely tenuous atmosphere and any surface materials ejected into space.[108][109]

Jack Waite, who led development of MASPEX, was also Science Team Lead of theIon and Neutral Mass Spectrometer(INMS) on the Cassini spacecraft. The principal investigator is Jim Burch ofSouthwest Research Institute,who was previously the leader of theMagnetospheric Multiscale Mission.

Surface Dust Analyzer (SUDA)

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Europa Clipper's Dust Analyzer sensor head

TheSUrface Dust Analyzer(SUDA)[14]is amass spectrometerthat will measure the composition of small solid particles ejected from Europa, providing the opportunity to directly sample the surface and potential plumes on low-altitude flybys. The instrument is capable of identifying traces of organic and inorganic compounds in the ice ofejecta,[110]and is sensitive enough to detect signatures of life even if the sample contains less than a single bacterial cell in a collected ice grain.[111]

The principal investigator is Sascha Kempf of theUniversity of Colorado Boulder.

Gravity & Radio Science

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Although it was designed primarily for communications, the high-gain radio antenna will be used to perform additional radio observations and investigate Europa's gravitational field, acting as aradio science subsystem.Measuring theDoppler shiftin the radio signals between the spacecraft and Earth will allow the spacecraft's motion to be determined in detail. As the spacecraft performs each of its 45 Europa flybys, its trajectory will be altered by the moon's gravitational field. The Doppler data will be used to determine the higher order coefficients of that gravity field, to determine the moon's interior structure, and to examine how Europa is deformed bytidal forces.[112]

The instrument team leader is Erwan Mazarico of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.[113]

Launch and trajectory

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Falcon Heavylifts off with Europa Clipper fromKennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39Aon Monday, Oct. 14, 2024; 12:06 pm. EDT
Europa Clipper separates from Falcon Heavy's Second Stage after deployment

Congress had originally mandated that Europa Clipper be launched on NASA'sSpace Launch System(SLS)super heavy-lift launch vehicle,but NASA had requested that other vehicles be allowed to launch the spacecraft due to a foreseen lack of available SLS vehicles.[114]The United States Congress's 2021 omnibus spending bill directed the NASA Administrator to conduct a full and open competition to select a commercial launch vehicle if the conditions to launch the probe on a SLS rocket cannot be met.[115]

On January 25, 2021, NASA's Planetary Missions Program Office formally directed the mission team to "immediately cease efforts to maintain SLS compatibility" and move forward with a commercial launch vehicle.[16]

On February 10, 2021, it was announced that the mission would use a 5.5-year trajectory to the Jovian system, with gravity-assist maneuvers involving Mars (March 1, 2025) and Earth (December 3, 2026). Launch was targeted for a 21-day period between October 10 and 30, 2024, giving an arrival date in April 2030, and backup launch dates were identified in 2025 and 2026.[16]

The SLS option would have entailed a direct trajectory to Jupiter taking less than three years.[51][52][2]One alternative to the direct trajectory was identified as using a commercial rocket, with a longer 6-year cruise time involving gravity assist maneuvers atVenus,Earth and/orMars.Additionally, a launch on aDelta IV Heavywith a gravity assist at Venus was considered.[116]

In July 2021 the decision was announced to launch on a Falcon Heavy rocket, in fully expendable configuration.[9]Three reasons were given: reasonable launch cost (ca. $178 million), questionable SLS availability, and possible damage to the payload due to strong vibrations caused by the solid boosters attached to the SLS launcher.[116]The move to Falcon Heavy saved an estimated US$2 billion in launch costs alone.[117][118]NASA was not sure an SLS would be available for the mission since theArtemis programwould use SLS rockets extensively, and the SLS's use ofsolid rocket boosters(SRBs) generates more vibrations in the payload than a launcher that does not use SRBs. The cost to redesign Europa Clipper for the SLS vibratory environment was estimated at US$1 billion.

Europa Clipper was launched on October 14, 2024, at 12:06 p.m. EDT fromLaunch Pad 39Aat NASA'sKennedy Space Centerin Florida.[119]Hurricane Miltoncaused a launch attempt for October 10 to be scrubbed,[120]resulting in the launch being finalized for October 14.

Animation of Europa Clipper
Around the Sun
Europa Clipper·Earth·Jupiter·Sun·Mars
Around Jupiter
Europa Clipper·Europa·Callisto·Io

The trajectory of Europa Clipper will include a gravity assist from Mars on March 1, 2025,[10]allowing it to speed further away from the Sun, then down towards the Sun and back out, and gain additional kinetic energy from an Earth gravity assist on December 3, 2026.[11]The probe will then arc (reachaphelion) beyond Jupiter's orbit on October 4, 2029[121]before slowly falling into Jupiter'sgravity welland executing its orbital insertion burn in April 2030.[122]

As of 2014,the trajectory in the Jupiter system is planned as follows.[needs update]After entry into the Jupiter system, Europa Clipper will perform a flyby of Ganymede at an altitude of 500 km (310 mi), which will reduce the spacecraft velocity by ~400 m/s (890 mph). This will be followed by firing the main engine at a distance of 11 Rj (Jovian radii), to provide a further ~840 m/s (1,900 mph) ofdelta-V,sufficient to insert the spacecraft into a 202-day orbit around Jupiter. Once the spacecraft reaches theapoapsisof that initial orbit, it will perform another engine burn to provide a ~122 m/s (270 mph)periapsisraise maneuver (PRM).[123][needs update]

The spacecraft's cruise and science phases will overlap with theESA's JUICE spacecraft, which was launched in April 2023 and will arrive at Jupiter in July 2031. Europa Clipper is due to arrive at Jupiter 15 months prior to JUICE, despite a launch date planned 18 months later, owing to a more powerful launch vehicle and a faster flight plan with fewer gravity assists.

Public outreach

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To raise public awareness of the Europa Clipper mission, NASA undertook a "Message In A Bottle" campaign, i.e. an actual "Send Your Name to Europa" campaign on June 1, 2023, through which people around the world were invited to send their names as signatories to a poem called "In Praise of Mystery: A Poem for Europa" written by the U.S. Poet LaureateAda Limón,for the 2.9-billion-kilometer (1.8-billion mi) voyage to Jupiter. The poem describes the connections between Earth and Europa.[124]

The poem is engraved on Europa Clipper inside atantalummetal plate, about 7 by 11 inches (18 by 28 centimeters), that seals an opening into the vault. The inward-facing side of the metal plate is engraved with the poem in the poet's own handwriting. The public participants' names are etched onto a microchip attached to the plate, within an artwork of a wine bottle surrounded by the fourGalilean moons.After registering their names, participants received a digital ticket with details of the mission's launch and destination. According to NASA, 2,620,861 people signed their names to Europa Clipper's Message in a Bottle, most of whom were from the United States.[125]Other elements etched on the inwards side together with the poem and names are theDrake equation,representations of thespectral linesof ahydrogen atomand thehydroxyl radical,together known as thewater hole,and a portrait of planetary scientistRon Greeley.[126]The outward-facing panel features art that highlights Earth's connection to Europa. Linguists collected recordings of the word "water" spoken in 103 languages, from families of languages around the world. The audio files were converted into waveforms and etched into the plate. The waveforms radiate out from a symbol representing theAmerican Sign Languagesign for "water".[127]The research organizationMETI Internationalgathered the audio files for the words for "water", and its presidentDouglas Vakochdesigned the water hole component of the message.[128][129]

  • The outside of the Europa Clipper commemorative plate features waveforms that are visual representations of the sound waves formed by the word "water" in 103 languages
  • The inside of a commemorative plate mounted on NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft features U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón's handwritten "In Praise of Mystery: A Poem for Europa" (blurred for copyright reasons)

See also

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References

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  2. ^abcdePhillips, Cynthia B.;Pappalardo, Robert T. (May 20, 2014)."Europa Clipper Mission Concept".Eos Transactions.95(20). Eos Transactions American Geophysical Union:165–167.Bibcode:2014EOSTr..95..165P.doi:10.1002/2014EO200002.
  3. ^Foust, Jeff (January 29, 2021)."NASA seeks input on Europa Clipper launch options".SpaceNews.Archivedfrom the original on October 10, 2022.RetrievedJanuary 30,2021.
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