Is there a mission going to Europa?

Europa Clipper (previously known as Europa Multiple Flyby Mission) is an interplanetary mission in development by NASA comprising an orbiter. Planned for launch in October 2024, the spacecraft is being developed to study the Galilean moon Europa through a series of flybys while in orbit around Jupiter.

Do you think there could be life on Europa?

The type of life that might inhabit Europa likely would not be powered by photosynthesis – but by chemical reactions. Europa’s surface is blasted by radiation from Jupiter. That’s a bad thing for life on the surface – it couldn’t survive. But the radiation may create fuel for life in an ocean below the surface.

Why is Europa a possibility for life?

Europa has the smoothest surface of any known solid object in the Solar System. The apparent youth and smoothness of the surface have led to the hypothesis that a water ocean exists beneath the surface, which could conceivably harbor extraterrestrial life.

Why does NASA want to go to Europa?

Why Europa is Important to the Search for Life. The search for life beyond Earth is one of NASA’s primary objectives. If humans are to truly understand our place in the universe, we must learn whether our planet is the only place where life exists. If we’re to find extraterrestrial life, we must narrow our search.

What is the purpose of the Europa Clipper mission?

The mission will place a spacecraft in orbit around Jupiter in order to perform a detailed investigation of Europa — a world that shows strong evidence for an ocean of liquid water beneath its icy crust and which could host conditions favorable for life.

Can you see Europa from Earth?

Bottom line: You can see Jupiter’s four largest moons – Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto, known as the Galilean satellites – with your own eyes with the help of binoculars or a small telescope.

Why is Europa important?

Europa is one of the Galilean moons of Jupiter, along with Io, Ganymede and Callisto. The surface of Europa is frozen, covered with a layer of ice, but scientists think there is an ocean beneath the surface. The icy surface also makes the moon one of the most reflective in the solar system.

What is the first mission to Europa?

Europa Clipper
The JUICE mission will explore Jupiter and its three largest icy moons, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto. Europa Clipper will be the first spacecraft designed to observe Europa exclusively and thoroughly.