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NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft, launched on October 14, is well on its way to Jupiter's moon Europa, having already traveled 13 million miles (20 million kilometers) from Earth. The mission, designed to determine whether Europa's icy crust and subsurface ocean can support life, has successfully deployed critical instruments that will remain active throughout its decade-long journey and mission by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Nov 26, 2024
NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft, launched on October 14, is well on its way to Jupiter's moon Europa, having already traveled 13 million miles (20 million kilometers) from Earth. The mission, designed to determine whether Europa's icy crust and subsurface ocean can support life, has successfully deployed critical instruments that will remain active throughout its decade-long journey and mission operations.
The spacecraft, launched atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, is speeding through space at 22 miles per second (35 kilometers per second) relative to the Sun. Upon reaching Jupiter in 2030, Europa Clipper will commence 49 flybys of the moon over its primary mission in 2031, collecting key data with its advanced scientific instruments.
Engineering Updates and Deployments
For now, the mission team is receiving engineering data to monitor the spacecraft's systems. Early tasks included the deployment of Europa Clipper's solar arrays, spanning the length of a basketball court. Shortly thereafter, the magnetometer boom was successfully deployed, extending 28 feet (8.5 meters) from the spacecraft. Data from the magnetometer's three sensors confirmed the successful operation of this instrument, which will later measure Europa's magnetic field to assess the depth and salinity of its subsurface ocean.
Radar antennas were also deployed, forming structures that resemble long poles stretching 57.7 feet (17.6 meters) and eight smaller antennas, each 9 feet (2.76 meters) long. These instruments are critical for subsurface imaging, revealing details beneath Europa's ice.
Project manager Jordan Evans of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory shared his enthusiasm, saying, "It's an exciting time on the spacecraft, getting these key deployments done. Most of what the team is focusing on now is understanding the small, interesting things in the data that help them understand the behavior of the spacecraft on a deeper level. That's really good to see."
Instrument Health Checks
Seven additional instruments will undergo testing and health assessments through December and January. Protective covers on certain instruments, including visible imagers and spectrometers, will remain closed to shield them from potential solar damage during the spacecraft's time in the inner solar system.
Preparing for Mars Gravity Assist
With the checkouts progressing smoothly, attention will soon shift to Europa Clipper's upcoming gravity assist at Mars. On March 1, 2025, the spacecraft will use Mars' gravity to adjust its trajectory and gain speed. During this phase, mission engineers will also activate the spacecraft's thermal imager for test operations, capturing multicolored images of the Red Planet, and utilize radar instruments to ensure optimal performance.
Further ahead, Europa Clipper will complete another gravity assist near Earth in December 2026. During this maneuver, the magnetometer will calibrate by measuring Earth's magnetic field, preparing for its key role at Europa.
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