NASA's spacecraft Europa Clipper set to find if Jupiter's moon is habitable

NASA is all prepared to send its spacecraft Europa Clipper to Jupiter and its moon Europa where it will try to find life beyond Earth.

Europa Clipper is expected to look below the icy crust of the moon where it is believed that an ocean is hiding very close to the surface.

The spacecraft is not expected to search for life but to find if there are conditions in Europa that can support life.

NASA will have to launch another mission to find if any kind of microorganisms are lurking on the moon of Jupiter.

“It’s a chance for us to explore not a world that might have been habitable billions of years ago, but a world that might be habitable today — right now,” programme scientist Curt Niebur said.

All about Europa Clipper

The Europa Clipper is the biggest spacecraft built by NASA for investigating another planet so far. The spacecraft will take 5 and a half years to reach the planet and will travel within 16 miles of the surface of Europa.

The spacecraft's liftoff is set to take place this month aboard SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre and the mission has cost around $5.2 billion.

The spacecraft has supersized solar panels which is required due to the distance of Jupiter from the Sun.

Jupiter's roundabout trip will cover 1.8 billion miles (3 billion kilometres) and it is expected to fly past Mars early next year and cross Earth in late 2026.

In 2030, the spacecraft will arrive at Jupiter and will start the work. When it will orbit Jupiter, it is expected to cross paths with Europa 49 times.

It is expected that the mission will end in 2034 by crashing into Ganymede, which is the biggest moon of Jupiter and the solar system.

What kind of life is likely to harbour in Europa?

Europa, one of the 95 known moons of Jupiter, is almost as big as our moon.

It is covered with an ice sheet which is around 10 miles to 15 miles or more (15 kilometres to 24 kilometres) thick.

According to scientists, beneath this frozen crust is an ocean which is likely to be 80 miles (120 kilometres) or deeper.

The experts believe that there can be thermal vents on the ocean floor on Europa.

Deputy project scientist Bonnie Buratti said, “We will not know from this mission because we can’t see that deep."

(With inputs from agencies)