NASA and SpaceX Launch Mission to Explore Europa, Jupiter’s Moon
Europa Clipper Launches Aboard Falcon Heavy: Journey to Explore Life-Sustaining Conditions on Jupiter’s Moon Europa Oct 14, 2024 Photo: @NASA
October 14, 2024 Hour: 9:18 pm
Europa Clipper is set for a journey of approximately 2.9 billion kilometers to Jupiter, where it is expected to arrive in April 2030.
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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and SpaceX have taken a significant step in space exploration by launching a mission dedicated to studying Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons.
The Europa Clipper spacecraft, the largest designed by NASA for a planetary mission, lifted off at 12:06 p.m. EDT from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, aboard SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket.
This pioneering mission aims to conduct a comprehensive analysis of Europa. With solar panels extending over 30 meters once deployed and a launch weight nearing 6,000 kilograms, Europa Clipper is set for a journey of approximately 2.9 billion kilometers to Jupiter, where it is expected to arrive in April 2030.
Once in orbit, the spacecraft will perform nearly 50 flybys of Europa, coming as close as 25 kilometers above its surface.
Each pass will allow for scanning different areas of the moon, providing an almost complete view of its geography.
Autor: MLM
Fuente: Xinhua