Preparing for the extremes
The spacecraft’s resilience was tested at Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, where it was subjected to the violent vibrations of launch, extreme temperatures, and Jupiter’s intense radiation. “These were the last big tests to find any flaws,” said Jordan Evans, the mission’s project manager at JPL. The successful completion of these tests confirmed the spacecraft’s readiness for the challenges ahead. “The system performed very well and operates as expected,” Evans added.
A test of endurance
Among the tests, a notable one required placing Europa Clipper in JPL’s massive thermal vacuum chamber for 16 days. This chamber replicated the vacuum of space and exposed the spacecraft to the sun’s intense heat and the cold of outer space. The simulation was crucial for ensuring that Europa Clipper could withstand and adapt to the varying temperatures it will encounter near Europa and on its voyage through space.
Journey to Jupiter
Europa Clipper’s path to Jupiter includes a gravitational boost from Mars and another from Earth, setting it on course to reach the gas giant by 2030. Once there, the spacecraft will orbit Jupiter and make 49 close flybys of Europa, gathering detailed data with its suite of scientific instruments. The mission aims to explore the icy moon’s shell, its interaction with the underlying ocean, its composition, and geology, contributing to our understanding of the potential for life in extraterrestrial oceans.
A collaborative effort
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The mission represents a collaborative effort led by JPL and the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, with contributions from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and management by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. As Europa Clipper prepares for its journey to one of the most intriguing destinations in our solar system, the team looks forward to uncovering the secrets of Europa’s icy facade and what lies beneath.
