NASA is preparing a probe for the study of Europa, a satellite of Jupiter

NASA’s Europa Clipper unmanned spacecraft has passed the final stage of testing and is preparing for launch to Europa, a satellite of Jupiter. The launch is scheduled for mid-October. The mission is designed for four years, reports CNN.

Europe is covered with a thick layer of ice, under which, as it is supposed, the ocean is located. This makes it one of the main objects for studying habitability in the Solar System. The main goal of the mission is to find out whether Europa has the conditions for life, such as water, energy and the necessary chemical compounds. As the head of the project, Jordan Evans, noted, the Europa Clipper device will not be able to directly detect life, since there are no instruments on board that can confirm its existence.

However, if the Europa Clipper proves the possibility of life on Europa, a second mission will be launched, specifically aimed at the search for life forms. Evans emphasized that the very fact of Europa’s habitability will open new horizons in the search for life in the galaxy.

At the stage of preparation in May of this year, Europa Clipper encountered problems related to the radiation resistance of transistors. According to Evans, the strong radiation background of Jupiter poses a threat to the operation of the equipment. However, the project team found out that the transistors will be able to be restored, since the device will be in the radiation environment for only part of the flight. Evans assured that now the mission can be carried out as planned.

Europa Clipper will be the first special scientific expedition to study Europa. Ideas for studying this satellite have been circulating in scientific circles since 1973, when the Pioner-10 apparatus took a picture of Europa’s surface and recorded its ice cover for the first time.