Space & Astronomy

$2bn Europa clipper mission proposed

By T.K. Randall
February 18, 2013 ·  26 comments

Image Credit: NASA/JPL When the topic of finding alien life within our solar system is brought up, Europa is predominantly mentioned as the single most likely place to find it. Thought to be filled with oceans of liquid water encased within an icy crust, the conditions on this Jovian moon could be ideal for life to develop. The problem with looking for it though is that Europa is both a long way away and its subterranean oceans are all but inaccessible.

In a bid to learn more about the frozen moon and whether it supports life, scientists have proposed a new $2bn spacecraft called the Europa Clipper which is designed to make several passes while orbiting Jupiter. Funding has yet to be confirmed for the project but if all does go ahead the probe could be launched by 2021.[!gad]When the topic of finding alien life within our solar system is brought up, Europa is predominantly mentioned as the single most likely place to find it. Thought to be filled with oceans of liquid water encased within an icy crust, the conditions on this Jovian moon could be ideal for life to develop. The problem with looking for it though is that Europa is both a long way away and its subterranean oceans are all but inaccessible.

In a bid to learn more about the frozen moon and whether it supports life, scientists have proposed a new $2bn spacecraft called the Europa Clipper which is designed to make several passes while orbiting Jupiter. Funding has yet to be confirmed for the project but if all does go ahead the probe could be launched by 2021.

Source: Guardian Unlimited | Comments (26)

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