SpaceX is not going to relax after the stunning success of the fifth test launch of the Super Heavy rocket and Starship. An equally important NASA Europa Clipper mission is being prepared for launch, which is also being launched by SpaceX, but this time using a Falcon Heavy launch vehicle.
The main goal of the Europa Clipper mission is to search for water and conditions for possible life on Jupiter’s moon Europa. The scientific goals of the mission are to understand the nature of Europa’s icy shell and the ocean beneath it, as well as the composition and geology of this moon. A detailed study of Europa during the mission will help scientists better understand the astrobiological potential of habitable worlds beyond our planet.
Europa Clipper will make almost 50 passes around Europe, collecting detailed measurements for the study of the moon. The height of the closest approach to the satellite is 25 kilometers.
The Europa Clipper spacecraft has a mass of about 6,000 kg, of which 2,750 kg is fuel for 24 attitude control and orientation engines. The spacecraft’s solar panels are 30 meters wide.
Interestingly, Congress initially allocated money to launch Europa Clipper using the SLS rocket, but due to the lack of these launchers, which are needed for Artemis lunar missions, as well as high vibrations during launch, NASA began to look for an alternative, which in fact did not exist, except for the SpaceX Falcon Heavy. Switching from SLS to Falcon Heavy allowed NASA to save about $2 billion on the launch alone.
But this affected the duration of the mission. The SLS could put Europa Clipper on a direct trajectory to Jupiter and the flight would last about 3 years, with the SpaceX Falcon Heavy, two more gravity maneuvers near Mars and Earth would be required, so the flight would take 5.5 years. But still, the Europa Clipper will reach Jupiter earlier than the almost similar European mission JUICE, which was launched in April 2023.
The launch window for the Europa Clipper is from October 10 to 30, 2024. The October 10 attempt was canceled due to Hurricane Milton. If the spacecraft fails to launch by October 30, the mission will have to be postponed for several years due to the impossibility of gravity maneuvers around Mars and Earth. If all goes according to plan, Europa Clipper should reach Jupiter in April 2030.
You can follow the launch on the NASA website.
The launch and separation of the side and center boosters went off without a hitch. The fairing came off.
The first period of the second stage’s operation was completed nominally. The second switch-on of the second stage engines, which is supposed to send Europa Clipper beyond the Earth-Moon gravity well, went off without a hitch. The vehicle separated from the second stage of the Falcon Heavy. Communication with the vehicle has been established.
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