MILAN — A much-anticipated mission to explore whether Europa, an icy moon of Jupiter, could support life has officially commenced following the launch of the Europa Clipper spacecraft aboard a Falcon Heavy rocket on October 14.
The Falcon Heavy rocket lifted off from Launch Complex 39A at 12:06 p.m. Eastern. After performing two upper stage burns, the spacecraft separated from the rocket more than an hour later and established communication with ground controllers shortly afterward, confirming it was operating correctly.
Europa Clipper is among NASA’s priciest science endeavors, with a total lifecycle cost estimated at $5.2 billion, which includes four years of operations after its projected arrival at Jupiter in 2030. The mission has been a high-priority pursuit in planetary science for over two decades, building upon various proposals for observing or exploring Europa.
The mission’s primary objective is to evaluate whether Europa, believed to have a subsurface ocean beneath its icy exterior, has the potential to harbor life. The presence of liquid water, heat from the moon’s interior, and essential organic compounds provide the fundamental elements required for life.
While the spacecraft won’t directly search for life, it aims to assess the conditions that could support it. “We want to understand whether Europa has the key ingredients to support life in its oceans,” explained Robert Pappalardo, Europa Clipper project scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Europa Clipper is outfitted with nine specialized instruments, including cameras, spectrometers, and magnetometers, designed to study the moon and its subsurface during 49 planned flybys that will yield comprehensive coverage.
Due to its extensive instruments, the spacecraft is large, weighing 5,700 kilograms fully fueled at launch, and will extend 30.5 meters long when its solar arrays are fully deployed.
Additionally, the spacecraft requires radiation shielding to protect against charged particles from Jupiter’s intense magnetic field, with concerns over potential degradation of transistors addressed, allowing the mission to proceed with its original profile.
In its early development, the mission faced challenges and financial risks but received vital support from former Rep. John Culberson, who championed its funding as a member of the House appropriations subcommittee overseeing NASA.
Culberson advocated for a launch on NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) to facilitate a shorter journey to Jupiter, but after warnings about compatibility issues from NASA, the plan was shifted to a commercial launch, resulting in SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy being selected in 2021 for $178 million.
Although Falcon Heavy could not send Europa Clipper straight to Jupiter, the spacecraft will perform a flyby of Mars early next year and another of Earth in late 2026, aiming to reach Jupiter by April 2030.
For scientists involved, the anticipated scientific gains make the extended timeline worthwhile. “I’ve dreamed of returning to Europa since the Galileo era, so for about 25 years now,” remarked Cynthia Phillips, Europa Clipper project staff scientist at JPL. “I’ve worked actively on the mission for almost 10 years, and I just can’t wait for new closeup views of Europa.”