NASA Greenlights Europa Clipper Mission to Jupiter's Moon Europa for October 10 Launch

Sep 9, 2024, 08:09 PM

NASA has officially given the green light for the Europa Clipper mission to proceed with its launch on October 10, 2024. The spacecraft, which aims to study whether Jupiter’s moon Europa could be hospitable for life, has passed the Key Decision Point-E review, confirming it is ready for operation. The mission will launch from Launch Complex 39A and is expected to coast for approximately 5.5 years before arriving at Jupiter. Upon arrival, the Europa Clipper will conduct a planned baseline four-year study of Europa. Nicola Fox, associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate, confirmed the successful completion of the final review, despite technical challenges in late-phase testing. Laurie Leshin noted the mission is proceeding to the opening of the launch window. The update was provided during a teleconference at 4pm EDT.