NASA's Europa Clipper mission has launched to explore Jupiter's moon Europa, aiming to determine if its vast subsurface ocean can support life. The spacecraft will fly 1.8 billion miles, conducting 49 flybys of the icy moon to gather critical data on its potential habitability.
NASA launched its Europa Clipper spacecraft from Florida on Monday to investigate whether Jupiter's moon Europa could support life, particularly focusing on its subsurface ocean beneath an icy outer shell.
The spacecraft, launched on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, is expected to orbit Jupiter by 2030 after a 1.8 billion-mile journey. Europa Clipper is NASA's largest planetary spacecraft, at about 100 feet long and 58 feet wide with antennas and solar arrays, weighing around 13,000 pounds.
Europa, smaller than Earth but rich in water, may contain twice as much water as Earth's oceans beneath a thick icy layer.
NASA's Jim Free emphasized that Europa has one of the best environments for potential habitability in our solar system, although the mission won't search for life directly.
Sandra Connelly added that the moon has "water, energy, chemistry, and stability," crucial conditions for supporting life. The mission aims to study the internal ocean, map the surface, and look for water vapor plumes. Europa Clipper will complete 49 close flybys starting in 2031.
Facing intense radiation from Jupiter's magnetic field, Europa Clipper's electronics will be protected by a titanium-aluminum vault. The spacecraft will fly by Mars and Earth to gain momentum before reaching Jupiter, with solar arrays providing power for its nine instruments and subsystems.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams completed an unexpectedly long 286-day mission on the ISS, returning to Earth aboard a SpaceX capsule after delays caused by technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have returned to Earth after a nine-month mission on the International Space Station (ISS), landing in a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule on Tuesday following prolonged delays due to technical failures on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are finally heading back to Earth after spending nine unexpected months aboard the ISS due to issues with Boeing’s Starliner. Their long-awaited return on a SpaceX Crew Dragon caps a mission filled with delays, challenges, and global attention.
A SpaceX capsule has delivered four astronauts to the ISS for NASA’s latest crew rotation, allowing Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to return after nine months stranded due to a faulty Boeing Starliner capsule. Their scheduled departure on Wednesday has drawn political attention.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi praised recent steps toward normalizing relations between Russia and the United States, describing the development as a positive move for global stability
Greenland's incoming Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen pledged on Monday to strengthen ties with Denmark while pursuing the Arctic island's ultimate goal of independence.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Monday that the United States has imposed additional visa restrictions on Chinese officials involved in policies that limit foreign access to Tibetan areas.
U.S. President Donald Trump described the French court’s decision to bar far-right leader Marine Le Pen from the 2027 presidential election as a “very big deal,” comparing her situation to his own legal troubles.
Iran has lodged a formal complaint with the United Nations Security Council, accusing U.S. President Donald Trump of making "reckless and belligerent" remarks that violate international law and the U.N. Charter.
Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) pilots, monitoring a Chinese navy warship as it navigated Australian waters, were alerted to a live-fire exercise via a civilian radio broadcast, defense officials revealed on Tuesday.
A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar’s Sagaing region, followed by a 6.4-magnitude tremor, killing 2056 people and leaving 3,900 injured. The quake caused building collapses in Myanmar and Thailand, prompting emergency declarations and ongoing rescue efforts.
As the world shifts toward clean energy at an ever-accelerating pace, large economies are scrambling to secure reliable supply chains for rare earth minerals. These minerals, once seen as mere industrial components, have become a political tool in the global power struggle
Russian forces carried out a drone attack on Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, late Wednesday, injuring at least twenty one people and causing structural damage, according to Ukrainian officials.
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen was banned from running for public office for five years after being convicted of embezzlement, ruling her out of the 2027 presidential race. She received a four-year prison sentence, with two years suspended, and a €100,000 fine. Le Pen plans to appeal.
The Kremlin announced on Monday that it is working with the United States on potential peace efforts for Ukraine, despite President Donald Trump's recent outburst expressing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
China’s military announced on Tuesday that it has begun joint army, navy, and rocket force exercises around Taiwan, aimed at deterring what it described as Taiwanese independence efforts.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi praised recent steps toward normalizing relations between Russia and the United States, describing the development as a positive move for global stability
Greenland's incoming Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen pledged on Monday to strengthen ties with Denmark while pursuing the Arctic island's ultimate goal of independence.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Monday that the United States has imposed additional visa restrictions on Chinese officials involved in policies that limit foreign access to Tibetan areas.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi praised recent steps toward normalizing relations between Russia and the United States, describing the development as a positive move for global stability
Greenland's incoming Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen pledged on Monday to strengthen ties with Denmark while pursuing the Arctic island's ultimate goal of independence.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Monday that the United States has imposed additional visa restrictions on Chinese officials involved in policies that limit foreign access to Tibetan areas.
U.S. President Donald Trump described the French court’s decision to bar far-right leader Marine Le Pen from the 2027 presidential election as a “very big deal,” comparing her situation to his own legal troubles.
Iran has lodged a formal complaint with the United Nations Security Council, accusing U.S. President Donald Trump of making "reckless and belligerent" remarks that violate international law and the U.N. Charter.
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