NASA's Search for Alien Life

What’s Happening?

  On October 14, 2024, NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, launched the Europa Clipper, previously known as the Europa Multiple Flyby Mission. The Europa Clipper is a space probe created to study Europa, one of Jupiter’s Galilean moons. It will travel to Jupiter and conduct nearly 50 flybys of Europa once in Jupiter’s orbit. Its mission is to determine whether there are areas under Europa’s surface that can support life. The five-billion-dollar probe is heading toward Europa and is set to arrive in 2030, after a five-year journey.

 Why Europa?

Scientists have discovered that Europa’s outermost shell is made up of a layer of ice, about 15 to 25 kilometers thick, or 10 to 15 miles. Underneath that shell, Europa shows strong evidence of a liquid ocean. Europa is also considered one of our solar system's most promising habitable places.

Timeline

Here’s a brief timeline of the Europa Clipper Mission.

2013: The project planning begins

2015: The Europa Clipper mission enters its design phase. 

2019: Spacecraft testing begins

2022: Assembly of spacecraft begins

2024 Spring: Europa Clipper moves to the Kennedy Space Center, in Florida

2024 Summer: Spacecraft testing resumes

2024 Fall: Europa Clipper launches from the Kennedy Space Center on a SpaceX rocket

To see more, visit https://europa.nasa.gov/mission/timeline/

Bibliography

Astrokobi. “NASA Is Hunting for Aliens Right Now!” Www.youtube.com, 18 Oct. 2024, www.youtube.com/shorts/jO9h2qez9Wg. Accessed 26 Oct. 2024.

NASA. “Europa Clipper - NASA Science.” Science.nasa.gov, science.nasa.gov/mission/europa-clipper/.

---. “Timeline | Mission.” NASA’s Europa Clipper, europa.nasa.gov/mission/timeline/.

The Week Junior. “Jupiter Moon Mission Lifts Off.” The Week Junior, 1 Nov. 2024.