Europa Clipper

Launching soon on a mission to explore Jupiter's ocean world.

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Europa Clipper's Vault Plate

A dark Europa Clipper spacecraft orbits Jupiter with a bit of the surface of Europa showing below. Jupiter is in the background.

Europa Clipper is launching Oct. 10, 2024, on the first mission to conduct a detailed study of Jupiter's moon Europa. There’s scientific evidence that the ingredients for life may exist on Europa right now.

Type

Orbiter

Launch

Oct. 10, 2024

Target

Europa: Arrives 2030

Objective

Determine if Europa has conditions suitable to support life

What Will Europa Clipper Do?

Europa Clipper will try to determine if Jupiter's icy moon Europa currently has habitable conditions.

Europa Clipper will travel 1.8 billion miles (2.9 billion km) to reach Jupiter in April 2030. The spacecraft will orbit Jupiter, and conduct 49 close flybys of Europa. On each orbit, the spacecraft will spend less than a day in the dangerous radiation zone near Europa before zipping back out. Two to three weeks later, it will repeat the process. The spacecraft carries nine science instruments, and a gravity experiment that uses the telecommunications system. All science instruments will operate simultaneously on every pass.

Artist’s rendering of NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft.

An artist's concept of NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft.

NASA/JPL-Caltech

Europa Clipper Mated to Payload Adapter, Encapsulated

NASA and SpaceX technicians recently completed several milestones as they prepare for launch of Europa Clipper.

Teams connected Europa Clipper to the payload adapter on Thursday, Sept. 26. Next, teams detached coverings that shielded parts of the spacecraft during processing. And on Oct. 2, teams encapsulated the spacecraft inside payload fairings, which will protect the spacecraft during launch.

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Europa Clipper's payload fairings sit on either side of the payload like a clamshell. One of the spacecraft's black solar panels faces forward. The white payload fairings have blue support structures holding them in place.

Technicians encapsulated NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft inside payload fairings on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024.

NASA/Ben Smegelsky

Meet the Europa Clipper Spacecraft

Europa Clipper is a robotic solar-powered spacecraft built to conduct the first detailed investigations of Jupiter's icy moon Europa.

With its solar arrays deployed, Europa Clipper spans more than 100 feet (about 30 meters) – about the length of a basketball court. The main body of the spacecraft consists of its avionics vault, radiofrequency module, and propulsion module.

Europa Clipper sits on a silver work stand. The spacecraft's high gain antenna is in the front and center of the image. The folded solar panels are attached to each side of the spacecraft. At least four workers in blue jumpsuits and white head covers are to the sides of the spacecraft.

On Sept. 11, 2024, technicians at NASA's Kennedy Space Center work to complete operations before propellant loading for the launch of NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft. Europa Clipper’s launch period opens on October 10, 2024.

NASA/Kim Shiflett

Why Go to Europa?

The search for life beyond Earth is one of NASA’s primary objectives.

If humans are to truly understand our place in the universe, we must learn whether our planet is the only place where life exists. So the search is on! There is strong evidence Jupiter's moon Europa has a saltwater ocean that may be one of the best places to look for environments where life could exist beyond Earth.

The pale gray of Europa is seen against the blackness of space.

This view of Jupiter’s icy moon Europa was captured by the JunoCam imager aboard NASA’s Juno spacecraft during the mission’s close flyby on Sept. 29, 2022.

NASA

Europa Clipper Misión en Español
Todo sobre la luna de Júpiter Europa y la misión Europa Clipper de la NASA.

Join the celebration!

Launch Party

Get ready to experience a once-in-a-lifetime event as NASA's Europa Clipper mission takes flight! This historic mission will explore Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa, and you’re invited to host your very own watch party to share the excitement with friends, family, and fellow space enthusiasts. We’ve got everything you need to make your launch celebration out of this world.

Learn More

A bright blue graphic with images cut in to promote NASA's Social Media Toolkit for the launch of Europa Clipper. It has seven small images related to the launch. It has the words Join Our Social Space in white lettering.

Show your style!

#RunwayToJupiter Style Challenge

Express your space style! Show off your outfits, makeup looks, nail art, and other creative expressions inspired by Jupiter's swirls, Europa's icy glam, and the exploration of the planets. Share a picture or video of your custom look with the hashtag #RunwayToJupiter for a chance to be featured on NASA’s website and social media channels.

How to Participate

An illustration calling for participation in a NASA public engagement activity for the Europa Clipper launch. This illustration has a pale blue background with outlines of narrow stars drawn in red, gold, and blue. It says Share Your Space Style, #RunwayToJupiter NASA Style Challenge. Enter by Oct. 10, 2024

Join us!

Be Our Virtual Guest

Europa Clipper is scheduled to launch Oct. 10, 2024, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Can't make it in person? Virtual guests will receive curated mission resources, stay informed with the latest updates, and receive a commemorative stamp for their virtual guest passport after liftoff — all delivered straight to their inbox!

picture an ocean world

Calling All Kids: Explore Europa Through Art

Join the NASA Space Place art challenge and imagine what's beneath Europa’s icy surface. Submit artwork by Oct. 31, 2024, for a chance to be featured by NASA!

Join the Space Place Art Challenge

An illustration promoting NASA Kids Art Challenge. It has purple background with lighter stellar clouds that are gold and blue. An illustration of Jupiter is up top and center. Europa is below, and to the left of Jupiter. Both the planet and the moon are colored in browns, with red and a bit of beige and blue. The illustration has the words "Europa Kids Art Challenge" in white letters to the right of the illustration.

images

At the Launch Site

Europa Clipper is at Kennedy Space Center in Florida where technicians are making the final preparations for launch. Check out the images from KSC.

See the KSC Images

The Europa Clipper spacecraft sits on a large, wheeled work platform. It high silver high gain antenna is facing toward us. Its solar panels are folded up and covered in red protective shields with Airbus printed on them. Several workers in blue jumpsuits are nearby.

On Sept. 11, 2024, technicians at Kennedy Space Center worked to complete operations before propellant loading inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility.

NASA/Kim Shiflett