posted 03-07-2017 02:03 PM               

This topic is for comments and questions in reply to updates under:

• NASA's Europa Clipper to flyby Jupiter's moon
  
• NASA's mission to land on Jupiter's Europa

posted 03-07-2017 02:08 PM               

During more than five hours of briefings in "Left Field," a room named for its encouragement of ideas out of left field, scientists and engineers explained to [Congressman John] Culberson how they plan to tackle the challenges of landing on Europa. A year ago they weren't even certain it could be done, but now they're increasingly confident.

"We've looked at most of the things that used to really bother us," said Dara Sabahi, a lead engineer on the project. "There were a lot of gotchas, but today I can say that — and I don't say this lightly — we are confident we can make this work. I believe the technologies are in reach, and the risks that bothered us are manageable."

...during the briefings at JPL, Culberson brought a friend with him, the famed Director James Cameron. The two men share an interest in exploring the depths of oceans, and periodically Cameron peppered the JPL presenters with questions about batteries, the chemistry of Europa's ocean, and so forth. But mostly, he came as Europa's storyteller-in-chief. "If you want to talk to the world, this man knows how to do it," Culberson said of his friend.

posted 03-08-2017 06:40 AM               

It's official! NASA's mission to explore an ocean world orbiting Jupiter will be called Europa Clipper.

posted 03-16-2017 09:11 AM               

To preserve the balance of science portfolio and maintain flexibility to conduct missions that were determined to be more important by the science community, the Budget provides no funding for a multi-billion-dollar mission to land on Europa.

posted 04-17-2018 11:12 AM               

In recent years, scientists have locked down a set of nine scientific instruments to fly on the Europa Clipper probe, which will look, search, and sniff for signs of life during 47 flybys that will skim to within 25 kilometers of the moon's surface. But one big question remains, and it will probably determine whether the mission costs in the range of $2 billion or $3 billion dollars: how best to get the six-ton probe from Earth to the Jupiter system?

posted 11-27-2018 08:56 AM               

Some news regarding the Europa Clipper and Lander missions. New baseline launch dates:

• Clipper: July, 2023
  
• Lander: Nov., 2026

Those are funding dependent, which is a challenge now that Rep. Culberson is out. But not insurmountable. More to come.

posted 08-28-2019 08:21 AM               

In an Aug. 27 letter to the chairs and ranking members of both the full Senate Appropriations Committee and its commerce, justice and science subcommittee, NASA Inspector General Paul Martin said that language in past appropriations bills will delay the launch of the Europa Clipper mission and add to its cost.

"NASA's renewed focus on returning humans to the Moon on an accelerated timetable means that an SLS will not be available to launch the Clipper mission to Europa before 2025 at the earliest," he wrote in the conclusion of the seven-page letter. The fiscal year 2019 appropriations bill required that the mission launch by 2023 on an SLS.

"[W]e urge Congress to consider removing the requirement that NASA launch the Europa Clipper on an SLS and allow the Agency to decide whether to use an SLS or a commercial vehicle based on cost, schedule, vehicle availability, and impact on science requirements," he added.

posted 07-07-2020 10:40 AM               

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration shall use the Space Launch System, if available, as the launch vehicles for the Jupiter Europa missions, plan for orbiter launch no later than 2025 and a lander launch 11no later than 2027...

posted 07-11-2023 01:24 PM               

Elmo loves you to Jupiter's moon and back! Our friends at NASA are headed to Jupiter's moon Europa and bringing Elmo's name with them on the Europa Clipper spacecraft. You too can send your name to space!

posted 08-28-2024 10:07 PM               

NASA's Europa Clipper Mission Moving Toward October Launch Date

NASA's Europa Clipper mission remains on track, with a launch period opening on Thursday, Oct. 10. The next major milestone for Clipper is Key Decision Point E on Monday, Sept. 9, in which the agency will decide whether the project is ready to proceed to launch and mission operations. NASA will provide more information at a mission overview and media briefing targeted for that same week.

The Europa Clipper mission team recently conducted extensive testing and analysis of transistors that help control the flow of electricity on the spacecraft. Analysis of the results suggests the transistors can support the baseline mission.

posted 10-07-2024 07:43 AM               

NASA, SpaceX Secure Europa Clipper Ahead of Hurricane

NASA and SpaceX are standing down from the Thursday, Oct. 10, launch attempt of the agency's Europa Clipper mission due to anticipated hurricane conditions in the area. Hurricane Milton is expected to move from the Gulf of Mexico this week moving east to the Space Coast. High winds and heavy rain are expected in the Cape Canaveral and Merritt Island regions on Florida's east coast. Launch teams have secured NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft in SpaceX's hangar at Launch Complex 39A at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of the severe weather, and the center began hurricane preparations Sunday.

"The safety of launch team personnel is our highest priority, and all precautions will be taken to protect the Europa Clipper spacecraft," said Tim Dunn, senior launch director at NASA's Launch Services Program.

On Oct. 4, workers transported NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft from the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center to the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket in the hangar as part of final launch preparations ahead of its journey to Jupiter's icy moon. While Europa Clipper's launch period opens Oct. 10, the window provides launch opportunities until Wednesday, Nov. 6.

Once the storm passes, recovery teams will assess the safety of the spaceport before personnel return to work. Then launch teams will assess the launch processing facilities for damage from the storm.

"Once we have the 'all-clear' followed by facility assessment and any recovery actions, we will determine the next launch opportunity for this NASA flagship mission," said Dunn.

posted 10-11-2024 09:09 PM               

NASA and SpaceX are now targeting no earlier than Monday, Oct. 14, for the launch of Europa Clipper. Following Hurricane Milton, Kennedy Space Center is "all clear" and teams are moving forward with preparations for the mission to Jupiter's icy moon.

posted 10-12-2024 08:30 PM               

Sunday, Oct. 13

• 8:30 a.m. EDT – NASA's Europa Clipper launch preview

• 9:30 a.m. EDT – NASA's Europa Clipper science teleconference

• 4:15 p.m. EDT – NASA's Europa Clipper prelaunch teleconference

• 11 a.m. EDT – NASA launch coverage begins

• 12:06 p.m. EDT – Launch

posted 10-14-2024 08:27 AM               

NASA launch coverage begins at 11:00 a.m. EDT.

posted 10-14-2024 12:33 PM               

Europa Clipper is set to arrive at the red planet on March 1, 2025 for a gravity assist, sending it back towards to Earth for another slingshot maneuver before heading outwards to Jupiter for an April 11, 2030 arrival.