SpaceX launches a NASA probe to search for signs of life on Jupiter’s icy moon

SpaceX will be the company responsible for launching the NASA science probeبار Seeks to explore whether Jupiter’s icy moon has favorable conditions to support life.

The contract for the mission called Europa Clipper, scheduled for October 2024, states that the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket is responsible for launching the science probe from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Jupiter’s moon is about 630 million km from Earth, and the journey is estimated to take more than five years. Because there is a huge ocean of liquid water beneath its ice shell, Europa is one of the prime candidates to support life in our solar system.

Clipper’s objectives include Acquiring high-resolution images of Europe’s surface, determining its composition, and searching for signs of geological activityMeasure the thickness of your ice sheet and determine the depth and salinity of your surroundings.

NASA was originally scheduled to use its massive Space Launch System (SLS) rocket to launch it, but its development has been plagued by delays and cost overruns over the years, and its efforts are now focused on the launch program.Artemis lunar exploration.

California-based Musk has in recent years become one of NASA’s favorite contractors for transporting cargo and crew to the International Space Station.

(With information from Russia Today)