Hurricane Milton in the US has affected a large region. NASA’s long-awaited Europa Clipper mission had to be postponed due to Hurricane Milton. The mission, which was postponed for a few days, will be one of the biggest expeditions to Jupiter’s ice-covered moon Europa. Here are the details…
Europa Clipper, whose launch was postponed due to Hurricane Milton, will be ready on October 14
The main purpose of the launch is to find out whether Europa’s deep oceans can support life. Scientists believe that there is more water beneath the surface of this satellite than even the oceans on Earth, and it remains to be seen whether this water harbors the necessary conditions for life.
Europa Clipper is the largest spacecraft NASA has ever developed. As part of the mission, the giant spacecraft will travel about 1.8 billion miles (2.8 billion kilometers) and reach Jupiter’s orbit in April 2030. During its journey, it will make 49 close passes around Europa, collecting data on the moon’s icy surface, underground ocean, and traces of organic life.
By the way, Europa Clipper is equipped with sophisticated scientific instruments. For example, MISE, an advanced spectrometer to study salts, ice structure and organic matter on Europa’s surface, will reveal the chemistry of this icy world.
It also plans to find hot spots on the surface thanks to a thermal imaging system called E-THEMIS. These hot spots could provide information about eruptions of material from Europa’s deep ocean to the surface. There may even be signs of life on Europa, similar to the hydrothermal springs found on the ocean floor on Earth.