Scheduled for an October launch, NASA’s Europa Clipper mission will be the first human endeavor to go to Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa, which many scientists believe holds the promise of life. In this blog, I will provide insights regarding the mission, its challenges, and the probability of the goals achieving the unknown balance with feasible strategies.
Decoding her Mysterious Persona
Scientists have always been intrigued by Europa, one of the moons of Jupiter. Its hidden part is believed to have a large, dark ocean covered by a shell of ice that many believes could support life.
It is the aim of the Europa Clipper mission which will cost $5 billion, to break the ice on this frozen moon exploration. Instead of previous missions where there is a landing, the Europa clipper opts to carry out a series of 49 flybys examining the moon environment for the presence of conditions conducive to life.
As one of the instruments on the spacecraft, all of them will be capable of using the data collected towards determining not only the thickness of the icy shell of Europa but even organic substances that can help sustain simple life. It will not be a surprise if such findings are discovered and this will be the first step into a new era of discovery and seeking other life forms in the universe.
Overcoming the Challenges of Radiation
The most daunting of these challenges for the Europa Clipper mission is the intense radiation around Jupiter. At every flyby, the spacecraft’s surface will receive a few million chest X-ray exposure, which puts its systems and components in danger.
To solve this, the mission team has worked out a strategic trajectory that will see the spacecraft make quick dips into and out of the dangerous radiation area. Instead, the spacecraft will obtain the required scientific information during the flybys, then extend out and analyze the data and transmit it to the earth and re-engage for further rounds of data collection.
Further, the team has taken a more radical approach and built components and systems on the Europa Clipper which can be packed with excessive resilience. This includes taking care of the risks of certain transistors being less tolerant to radiation than initially assessed. The mission assurance team is confident of their approach to these issues which will enable the goals of the mission to be attained successfully.
Conclusion
The Europa Clipper mission is an important step towards our complete understanding of the solar system. In particular, by studying the icy moon Europa, researchers aim to learn if there is an ocean under the crust where life might be possible. The knowledge gained in this mission would not only increase our understanding of the life potential beyond our own planet but also allow conducting future, even deeper, missions to this fascinating world.
