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

Oct 14, 2024, 04:07 PM

NASA has successfully launched the Europa Clipper spacecraft on a mission to explore Jupiter's moon, Europa. The spacecraft lifted off aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Kennedy Space Center at 12:06 p.m. ET on October 14, 2024. This $5.2 billion mission aims to determine if Europa, which is believed to have a subsurface ocean, has the conditions necessary to support life. The journey will span 1.8 billion miles and is expected to reach Europa by April 2030. The mission will involve studying the moon's icy shell and its interactions with the ocean below. The spacecraft will use a Mars and Earth gravity assist during its six-year journey. The Deep Space Network in Canberra, Australia, has acquired the spacecraft's signal, confirming successful communication.