NASA uses SpaceX rocket to deliver probe to moon Jupiter

NASA has signed a contract worth more than 151 million euros with SpaceX to launch a probe to Jupiter’s moon Europa. In 2024, the probe will embark on a more than five-year journey to Europe to investigate whether life can exist on the icy moon.

Elon Musk’s aerospace company was chosen for the Europa Clippers mission because of its low cost, it said ArsTechnica. It reportedly cost NASA nearly $1.7 billion to deploy its own SLS rocket. In October of 2024, the launch of the Falcon Heavy from the Kennedy Space Center will take place, so let NASA know. The Europa Clipper probe is expected to arrive at the moon in April of 2030 and will circle the moon up to 44 times in an elliptical orbit. High-resolution photos can be used to study the surface of Europe, among other things. The probe should be ready for assembly next year. The two space organizations previously announced that they would also work together on a lunar lander.

The unique properties of Jupiter’s Europa allow for potential life on the moon. The ice-covered body is believed to have saltwater oceans below its surface. The probe must investigate the composition of the ice layer, how deep and salty the oceans are and the geological activities of the moon. Europa also has a thin atmosphere of mostly oxygen, although radiation from Jupiter itself makes the surface probably not habitable. The oceans are currently the biggest contender for supporting life.

An illustration of the Europa Clipper probe over Jupiter’s moon Europa. Image via NASA/JPL-Caltech

UPDATE, 7:55 PM: Amounts originally expressed in dollars have been converted to euros.