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Europa Clipper
Spacecraft properties
Artist's rendering of the Europa Clipper spacecraft
Names	Europa Multiple Flyby Mission

Mission type	Europa reconnaissance
Operator	NASA
Mission duration	Cruise: 5.5 years Science phase: 4 years Elapsed: 256 days, 8 hours, 22 minutes


Manufacturer	Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Launch mass	6,065 kg (13,371 lb), including 2,750 kg (6,060 lb) propellant
Dry mass	3,241 kg (7,145 lb)
Payload mass	352 kg (776 lb)
Dimensions	Height: 6 m (20 ft) Solar panel span: 22 m (72 ft)
Power	600 watts from solar panels


Start of mission
Launch date	October 14, 2024, 16:06:00 (2024-10-14UTC16:06Z) UTC (12:06 pm EDT)
Rocket	Falcon Heavy Block 5
Launch site	Kennedy, LC-39A
Contractor	SpaceX


Flyby of Mars (gravity assist)
Closest approach	February 2025
Flyby of Earth (gravity assist)
Closest approach	December 2026
Jupiter orbiter
Orbital insertion	April 11, 2030 (planned)
Orbits	45

Europa Clipper mission patch Large Strategic Science Missions Planetary Science Division ← Mars 2020 Mars Sample Return →

The Europa Clipper is a special space probe built by NASA. Its main job is to study Europa, which is one of Jupiter's largest moons. It was launched on October 14, 2024. The spacecraft is expected to reach Jupiter's system in 2030.

Once it arrives, Europa Clipper will fly past Europa many times. It will orbit Jupiter, not Europa directly. This spacecraft is bigger than any other NASA mission sent to study planets before.

Europa Clipper will continue the work of the Galileo spacecraft. Galileo orbited Jupiter from 1995 to 2003. Its findings suggested that Europa might have a huge ocean hidden under its icy crust. Scientists first thought about sending a spacecraft to orbit Europa directly. But because of strong radiation from Jupiter, it was decided to have the spacecraft orbit Jupiter instead. This way, it can make 44 close flybys of Europa, which is much safer.

The mission is a team effort between the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and the Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). It carries nine science tools from different universities and labs. Europa Clipper also works alongside the ESA's Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) mission. JUICE launched in 2023 and will also visit Europa.

Europa Clipper launched on a Falcon Heavy rocket. It will get help from gravity assists from Mars in February 2025. It will also get a gravity assist from Earth in December 2026. This will help it speed up on its journey to Europa.

Mission History

In 1997, a mission called Europa Orbiter was suggested to NASA. It was not chosen at that time. However, NASA's JPL later decided to go ahead with a Europa orbiter mission.

At the same time, the Galileo spacecraft was already orbiting Jupiter. From 1995 to 1997, Galileo completed its main mission. Then, it started an extended mission called the Galileo Europa Mission (GEM). This mission ran until 1999. It was a low-cost mission that made several flybys of Europa, Callisto, and Io. The Galileo Europa Mission was similar to what Europa Clipper plans to do. It made eight flybys of Europa at different distances.

Scientists believe Europa is one of the best places in our Solar System to find extraterrestrial life. After Galileo's discoveries, JPL started looking into different mission ideas. These included very expensive concepts like the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter. The Europa Clipper was chosen as a more affordable option.

The National Research Council recommended a mission to Europa in 2013. The cost of the mission grew over time. The name Europa Clipper comes from fast sailing ships of the 1800s. The spacecraft will "sail" past Europa often, sometimes every two weeks.

In 2013, US$75 million was approved to start planning the mission. In 2014, funding for Europa Clipper (then called Europa Multiple Flyby Mission) greatly increased. This showed strong support for the project.

In 2015, NASA asked the European Space Agency (ESA) if they wanted to send another probe with Europa Clipper. NASA also chose nine science tools for the orbiter. In June 2015, NASA approved the mission concept. In 2016, NASA approved adding a lander, but this idea was later canceled in 2017 because it was too risky.

By February 2017, the mission moved into the design phase. In July 2024, there were worries about delays. This was because some parts of the spacecraft were found to be less resistant to radiation than thought. But in September 2024, the launch was approved for October 10, 2024. However, Hurricane Milton caused a delay. The spacecraft finally launched on October 14, 2024.

Building the Spacecraft

NASA's Europa Clipper, with all of its instruments installed, is visible in the clean room of High Bay 1 at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory

On August 19, 2019, the Europa Clipper moved into its final design and building stage.
By March 3, 2022, it was ready for assembly, testing, and launch.
The main body of the spacecraft was finished on June 7, 2022.
By January 30, 2024, all the science tools were added.
In March 2024, the spacecraft passed its tests and was ready for launch.
It arrived at Kennedy Space Center in May 2024 for final preparations.
In September 2024, the final checks were done, clearing it for launch.
In early October 2024, the spacecraft was moved to a safe place due to Hurricane Milton.

End of Mission Plans

Scientists are planning what will happen at the end of the mission. In June 2022, it was suggested that the probe might be crashed into Ganymede. This would be done to protect Ganymede from any possible contamination from Earth. It could also help the ESA's JUICE mission gather more information about Ganymede's surface. The mission is planned to last four years orbiting Jupiter. The spacecraft's disposal is set for September 3, 2034, unless NASA decides to extend the mission.

Mission Goals

This picture shows what might be water plumes erupting from Europa.

This image shows how Europa Clipper will cover different parts of Europa during its many flybys.

The main goals of Europa Clipper are to explore Europa and find out if it could support life. It will also help choose a good landing spot for a future mission called the Europa Lander. To understand if life could exist, the mission will look for three key things:

Liquid water
The right chemistry
Energy sources

Specifically, the mission will study:

Ice shell and ocean: It will confirm if there is water under the ice and how the ice and ocean interact.
Composition: It will map where important chemicals are found and how they relate to the ocean's makeup.
Geology: It will study the features on Europa's surface and how they formed. This includes looking for signs of recent activity.

How the Mission Works

By orbiting Jupiter widely and making many flybys of Europa, the spacecraft will avoid too much radiation. This also helps send data faster.

Europa is very close to Jupiter's strong radiation belts. If a spacecraft orbited Europa directly, it would only last a few months. Also, spacecraft can collect data much faster than they can send it back to Earth. So, the time available to send data is a big challenge for missions to Europa.

Scientists found that making many flybys of Europa is a better plan. This allows the spacecraft to have several months to send data back to Earth after each close pass. This way, Europa Clipper can gather almost three times more data. It also reduces the spacecraft's exposure to harmful radiation.

Europa Clipper will not orbit Europa itself. Instead, it will orbit Jupiter and make 44 flybys of Europa. These flybys will be at different heights, from 25 km (16 miles) to 2,700 km (1,678 miles). This will happen over 3.5 years. A clever part of the mission is that Europa Clipper will use gravity from Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto to change its path. This allows it to visit different parts of Europa with each flyby. It could even fly through any water plumes erupting from Europa's ice. This would let it sample the ocean without needing to land.

The spacecraft has a special "radiation vault" to protect its electronics. This vault has thick aluminum walls. The electronics are also placed in the center of the spacecraft for extra protection.

Spacecraft Design

Spacecraft diagram

This shows the magnetic field around the Europa Clipper spacecraft.

Europa Clipper is part of NASA's Planetary Science Division. It is a Large Strategic Science Mission. It is also supported by the new Ocean Worlds Exploration Program.

Power Source

Scientists looked at two ways to power the spacecraft: radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) and solar panels. Solar panels were chosen because they were less expensive. Even though sunlight is much weaker at Jupiter, the Juno mission showed that solar panels can work there.

Each solar panel is 18 square meters (194 sq ft) in size. They can produce 150 watts of power when facing the Sun. When the spacecraft is in Europa's shadow, batteries will keep it running. However, Jupiter's strong radiation can damage solar panels over time. The panels were made by Airbus Defence and Space in the Netherlands.

Propulsion System

The propulsion system was built by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. It is a large part of the spacecraft's main body. It holds nearly 6,000 pounds (2,722 kg) of fuel. About half of this fuel will be used to slow the spacecraft down when it enters Jupiter's orbit. The spacecraft has 24 small rocket engines. These engines help control its direction and move it through space.

Science Tools

The Europa Clipper has nine science tools. These tools are protected from radiation by a 150-kilogram (330 lb) shield made of titanium and aluminum. The tools weigh a total of 82 kg (181 lb).

Europa Thermal Emission Imaging System (E-THEMIS)

This tool takes detailed pictures of Europa's surface using infrared light. It helps scientists find hot spots or places where water plumes might be erupting. It is similar to a tool used on the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission.

Mapping Imaging Spectrometer for Europa (MISE)

MISE is a camera that uses near infrared light. It helps figure out what Europa's surface is made of. It can find organic materials (like amino acids), salts, and different types of water ice. This helps scientists understand if the ocean could support life.

Europa Imaging System (EIS)

EIS is a set of cameras that will map Europa's surface. It can take very detailed pictures, down to 0.5 meters (1.6 ft) per pixel. It has two cameras:

The Wide-angle Camera (WAC) will take broad pictures and create 3D maps.
The Narrow-angle Camera (NAC) can point at specific targets. It will map over 95% of Europa's surface in high detail. Before this mission, only a small part of Europa was mapped well.

Europa Ultraviolet Spectrograph (Europa-UVS)

This tool can find small plumes of water vapor. It will also gather important information about Europa's thin atmosphere. Scientists using the Hubble Space Telescope previously used a similar tool to find plumes on Europa.

Radar for Europa Assessment and Sounding: Ocean to Near-surface (REASON)

REASON is a special radar that can see through ice. It will study Europa's ice crust, from the surface down to the ocean. It can find hidden water pockets within the ice. REASON will explore the full depth of the ice shell, up to 30 km (19 miles) deep.

Europa Clipper Magnetometer (ECM)

ECM will measure the magnetic fields around Europa. It has three magnetic sensors on a long boom. By studying Europa's magnetic field, scientists hope to confirm the hidden ocean. They also want to learn about the ice crust's thickness and the ocean's depth and saltiness.

Plasma Instrument for Magnetic Sounding (PIMS)

Plasma Instrument for Magnetic Sounding (PIMS). This picture shows the sensors and housings in a clean room.

PIMS measures the plasma (charged gas) around Europa. This helps scientists understand how the plasma affects Europa's magnetic field. Working with the magnetometer, PIMS helps figure out the ice shell's thickness and the ocean's depth and saltiness. It also studies how Europa's surface interacts with its space environment.

Mass Spectrometer for Planetary Exploration (MASPEX)

MASPEX will figure out what Europa's surface and ocean are made of. It does this by measuring the very thin atmosphere and any material ejected into space. This tool is similar to one used on the Cassini spacecraft.

Surface Dust Analyzer (SUDA)

Europa Clipper's Dust Analyzer sensor head

SUDA is a tool that measures tiny solid particles ejected from Europa. This allows scientists to directly sample the surface and any plumes. It can even find signs of life in ice grains, even if there's less than one bacterial cell.

Gravity and Radio Science

A full-scale prototype of the high-gain antenna on Europa Clipper spacecraft is being tested.

The Europa Clipper will also use its radio antenna for experiments. It will learn about Europa's gravity. As the spacecraft flies by, Europa's gravity will slightly change its path. By sending radio signals to Earth and back, scientists can measure these changes. This data will help them understand how Europa flexes due to Jupiter's pull. This will reveal information about the moon's inside structure and how its tides work.

Launch and Journey

Falcon Heavy lifts off with Europa Clipper onboard from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A

Europa Clipper separates from Falcon Heavy's Second Stage after deployment.

When Europa Clipper reaches Jupiter, it will perform a big rocket burn to enter orbit. This will happen after a close flyby of Ganymede, which will help slow the spacecraft down.

Congress first wanted Europa Clipper to launch on NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. But NASA asked to use other rockets because SLS rockets might not be available. In 2021, NASA decided to use a commercial launch vehicle.

On February 10, 2021, it was announced that the mission would take 5.5 years to reach Jupiter. It will use gravity assists from Mars (February 2025) and Earth (December 2026). The launch was planned for October 10-30, 2024. This means it will arrive in April 2030. Hurricane Milton caused the October 10 launch attempt to be delayed.

Using the SLS rocket would have meant a faster, direct trip to Jupiter, taking less than three years. But in July 2021, the Falcon Heavy rocket was chosen. This saved about US$2 billion in launch costs. Also, NASA was not sure if an SLS rocket would be available due to the Artemis program. The SLS also creates more vibrations, which would have cost US$1 billion to redesign the spacecraft for.

Animation of Europa Clipper

Around the Sun
Europa Clipper · Earth · Jupiter · Sun · Mars

Around Jupiter
Europa Clipper · Europa · Callisto · Io

The Europa Clipper mission will happen at the same time as the European Space Agency's JUICE spacecraft. JUICE launched in April 2023 and will arrive at Jupiter in July 2031. Europa Clipper will arrive 15 months before JUICE, even though it launched later. This is because it used a more powerful rocket and a faster flight path.

Public Involvement

To get people excited about Europa Clipper, NASA started a "Message In A Bottle" campaign. In June 2023, people could send their names to Europa. These names would travel 1.8 billion miles to Jupiter. The names were put on a microchip attached to a metal plate on the spacecraft.

The metal plate also has a poem called "In Praise of Mystery: A Poem for Europa." It was written by U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón. The poem connects Earth, which wants to understand other worlds, with Europa, which holds many secrets. The poem is engraved on the inside of the plate in the poet's own handwriting.

The microchip with the public's names is part of an artwork. It shows a wine bottle surrounded by Jupiter's four Galilean moons. Over 2.6 million people signed their names for the mission.

The plate also has other special etchings. These include the Drake equation and symbols for water. The outside of the plate shows waveforms, which are visual representations of the word "water" spoken in 103 different languages. These waveforms spread out from a symbol for the American Sign Language sign for "water."

The outside of the Europa Clipper commemorative plate features waveforms that are visual representations of the sound waves formed by the word "water" in 103 languages
The inside of a commemorative plate mounted on NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft features U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón's handwritten "In Praise of Mystery: A Poem for Europa"