Europa
Europa Clipper
A detailed reconnaissance of Europa to test whether the ocean world could support life.
Interactive three-dimensional model of Europa Clipper. Mission information is also available as text below.
Cruising toward Jupiter
View in 3D map ↗Official mission site ↗The mission
Europa Clipper is traveling to Jupiter to investigate Europa’s ice shell, subsurface ocean, composition, and geology. From Jupiter orbit it will conduct 49 close flybys rather than orbiting Europa directly.
The launch
- Launch
- October 14, 2024 · 16:06 UTC
- Launch location
- Kennedy Space Center, Florida — Launch Complex 39A
- Launch vehicle
- Falcon Heavy
- Orbit
- Jupiter orbit with repeated Europa flybys
Launch intelligence
A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket launched the Europa Clipper mission on Monday, October 14, 2024 at 4:06 PM (UTC).
- Launch provider
- SpaceX
- Vehicle
- Falcon Heavy
- COSPAR launch ID
- 2024-182
- Flight profile
- Orbital
- Launch result
- Success
- Window opens
- Oct 14, 2024, 16:06 UTC
- Target T-0
- Not published
- Window closes
- Not published
- Provider display
- Oct 14 2024
- Pad and location
- LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center
Launch media
Mission timeline
Follow the mission through its available trajectory data in the full 3D solar-system map.
- Now
Current mission status
Now
Cruising toward Jupiter
Objectives
- 01
Determine the thickness of Europa’s icy shell and how the ocean interacts with the surface.
- 02
Investigate the moon’s composition and geology.
- 03
Assess whether Europa has environments that could support life.
Spacecraft
Europa Clipper
NASA’s largest spacecraft developed for a planetary mission, built around a radiation-tolerant vault and large solar arrays for operation at Jupiter.
- Manufacturer
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory
- Launch mass
- 6,065 kg
- Power
- Solar arrays
- E-THEMIS
- Europa-UVS
- EIS
- MISE
- MASPEX
- PIMS
- REASON
- ECM
- SUDA
Gallery
10 images from Europa Clipper.
3D model
- Source
- NASA Science downloadable 3D model
- Author
- NASA Visualization Technology Applications and Development (VTAD)
- Usage
- NASA Images and Media Usage Guidelines
Optimized from NASA's official GLB for web delivery. NASA identifiers do not imply endorsement.
View original model source ↗
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