15.10.2024

NASA's largest-ever interplanetary spacecraft is now on its way to our solar system's largest planet where it will study one of the oldest-known moons to begin answering one of humanity's most fundamental questions: Does life exist beyond Earth?
Europa Clipper lifted off atop an expendable SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket on Monday (Oct. 14), setting off on a six-year, 1.8-billion-mile (2.9-billion-km) journey to Jupiter. Once in orbit around the giant gas planet, the probe will make 49 flybys of the ice-covered Galilean satellite Europa to search for the ingredients of life — water, chemistry and energy — which scientists believe may exist underneath the moon's thick icy crust today.
"Europa is a fascinating destination," said Jim Free, NASA associate administrator, in a pre-launch briefing. "At NASA, we strive every day to answer fundamental questions about our solar system and our place in it, and Europa Clipper will help us answer these questions."
The spacecraft left the ground at 12:06 p.m. EDT (1606 GMT) from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Falcon Heavy's second stage gave the 12,800-pound (5,800-kg) spacecraft its initial push away from Earth, separating from the probe about an hour and two minutes after liftoff.

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Quelle: NASA