Exploring the Possibility of Life on Europa
NASA’s Europa Clipper, the largest planetary spacecraft ever built, is set to explore Jupiter’s moon, Europa, one of the most promising places in our solar system to find life. With its massive 30-meter solar wingspan, the spacecraft will journey 2.9 billion kilometers over the next decade, collecting data from 49 orbits around Europa. The mission aims to study the moon’s icy surface and investigate its potential habitability.
NASA scientists have been working on this mission for over 20 years, with a focus on understanding non-Earth environments and laying the foundation for future missions. The Europa Clipper carries not only advanced scientific instruments but also a poem titled In Praise of Mystery by U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón. While it’s unclear if any life forms will read the poem, the mission will advance our quest to discover life beyond Earth.
Source ABC