NASA Launches $5.2 Billion Europa Clipper on Falcon Heavy to Explore Jupiter's Moon for Life

Oct 14, 2024, 03:05 PM

NASA has successfully launched the Europa Clipper spacecraft on a mission to explore Jupiter's moon, Europa, which scientists believe may harbor conditions suitable for life. The spacecraft, launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Kennedy Space Center at 12:06 p.m. EDT (1606 UTC) on Monday, October 14, 2024, will embark on a 1.8-billion-mile journey. The $5.2 billion mission aims to investigate the icy crust of Europa and its subsurface ocean to determine if the moon has the necessary ingredients to support life. The mission is expected to take approximately six years to reach Europa, where it will conduct detailed reconnaissance of the moon's surface and subsurface.