NASA’s Europa Clipper Spacecraft to Launch in October Carrying Artifact with 2.6 Million Names
Exciting news from NASA as the highly anticipated Europa Clipper spacecraft is set to launch in October. What makes this mission even more special is the fact that it will be carrying a very special artifact, including more than 2.6 million names submitted by the public.
The spacecraft’s destination is Jupiter’s moon Europa, which scientists believe has a strong possibility of harboring an ocean under its icy crust. The artifact on board includes an engraving of U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón’s poem, a silicon microchip with the names submitted by the public, and a metal plate featuring art and the word “water” spoken in 103 languages.
The main goal of the Europa Clipper mission is to determine if there are conditions that could support life on Europa. To gather data, the spacecraft is equipped with plans for 49 close flybys to study the moon’s subsurface ocean, icy crust, thin atmosphere, and space environment.
To protect the spacecraft’s electronics from Jupiter’s harmful radiation, they are housed in a specially designed vault with a commemorative plate sealing an opening. The plate includes the Drake Equation, references to interstellar communication frequencies, and a portrait of planetary science founder Ron Greeley.
The spacecraft will be assembled at JPL before being transported to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for its October launch. Europa Clipper’s main scientific goals include determining the thickness of Europa’s icy shell, investigating its composition, and characterizing its geology to better understand the potential for habitable worlds beyond Earth.
Excitement is building as the launch date approaches, with the hopes of uncovering more mysteries about the potential for life beyond our own planet.
