Launched on October 14 by a Falcon Heavy rocket, the Europa Clipper probe speeds towards its destination at the dizzying speed of 35 kilometers per second. NASA has just shared some very positive news about the mission which is proceeding nominally so far.
Europa Clipper has already traveled 20 million kilometers of the 2.9 billion kilometers that separate it from Jupiter’s icy moon Europa, which it is expected to reach in 2030. Currently, the probe only transmits technical data on its condition which indicate that everything goes as planned.
Giant solar panels are deployed
The deployment of some of the instruments has started. It started with solar panels that are longer than a basketball court. They each measure 14.2 meters long and 4.1 meters high. Enough to capture the weak radiation in the region where Europa is located, which only receives 3 to 4% of the solar light captured by the Earth. “(…) Europa Clipper’s solar panels will together provide about 700 watts of electricity, which is about what a small microwave or coffee maker needs to operate », Specifies NASA.
The probe also deployed its magnetometer mounted on an 8.5 meter long pole. This instrument should allow scientists to confirm the existence of an ocean under the icy crust of Europa and to measure its depth and salinity. The magnetometer will also measure the thickness of the ice layer.
Seven more instruments to activate
The Europa Clipper radar antennas are also out. There are four high-frequency antennas extending transversely from the solar panels, forming two long poles that are each 17.6 meters long. This device is completed by eight very high frequency rectangular antennas, each 2.76 meters long, also positioned on the solar panels.
There are still seven instruments to be put into service. They will be activated then cut between December and January next year to check that they are working properly. “ Several instruments, including the visible imager and the gas and dust mass spectrometers, will keep their protective covers closed for the next three years or so, to guard against possible damage from the Sun during the stay. Europa Clipper in the inner solar system », Specifies NASA.
Next step: a gravitational assist with Mars
Once these verification phases have passed, Europa Clipper will prepare for its first major maneuver at the beginning of March. This is a gravitational assist to gain speed after a series of orbits around Mars. Scientists will take advantage of this visit to the Red Planet to take multi-colored images using the thermal imager. The radar instrument will also be activated to check its operation.
In December 2026, Europa Clipper will perform another gravitational assist, this time with the help of Earth. On this occasion, the magnetometer will measure the Earth’s magnetic field in order to calibrate itself.
Europa Clipper’s mission will begin in 2031. 49 flybys of the icy giant are planned to collect data that should help scientists determine whether its internal ocean has the conditions necessary to support life.
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