NASA spacecraft is heading for Jupiter's icy satellite in search of life: what is known about the historic mission

NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft, launched yesterday by a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, is on its way to meet one of Jupiter's 95 moons, Europa. The long-awaited astrobiology mission aims to explore the gas giant's moon and discover whether its vast hidden ocean might hold the keys to life.

NASA's probe is scheduled to reach Jupiter's icy ocean moon around April 2030, covering a distance of nearly 3 billion kilometers. The $5.2 billion mission will last until 2034, AP reports.

"If even simple bacterial life is discovered on Europa, this will be the most significant planetary mission ever," SpaceX founder Elon Musk wrote on his X page.

On its way, the Europa Clipper will have to fly past Mars (February 2025) and Earth (December 2026) to gain enough speed to reach its destination in April 2030, Space.com writes.

The massive solar panels, roughly the size of a basketball court, make Clipper the largest spacecraft NASA has built to explore another planet. Its weight is also impressive - almost 5,700 kilograms.

According to NASA, Europa Clipper will orbit Jupiter every 21 days. On one of these days, the probe will come within 25 kilometers of Europa - much closer than any other spacecraft before.

The onboard radar will try to penetrate Europa's ice sheet, which scientists believe is 15 to 24 kilometers thick. And the depth of its ocean may be 120 kilometers or even more.

According to experts, there is more radiation around Jupiter than anywhere else in our solar system except the Sun. As Europa orbits the gas giant, it passes through Jupiter's radiation bands, making it particularly dangerous for spacecraft.

Clipper will have to withstand the equivalent of several million chest X-rays during each of its 49 passes over Europe. However, NASA emphasizes that the sensitive electronics are stored in a vault with thick zinc and aluminum walls to protect them from radiation.

"Ocean worlds like Europa are not only unique because they might be habitable, but they might be habitable today," said NASA spokesperson Gina DiBraccio.

According to scientists, if the conditions are favorable for life on Europa, it opens up the possibility of life in other oceanic worlds in our solar system and beyond.

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