activeNASA / JPL
Europa Clipper
Flagship mission to determine if Jupiter's moon Europa could harbor conditions suitable for life. Launched October 14, 2024 on SpaceX Falcon Heavy. Will conduct 49 close flybys of Europa using ice-penetrating radar (REASON), mass spectrometer (MASPEX), and thermal imager (E-THEMIS) to characterize the subsurface ocean beneath Europa's icy shell.
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Budget
$5.2B total mission cost
Timeline
2024–2034
Key Milestones
Launched on Falcon Heavy from Kennedy Space Center
2024 — Oct
Mars gravity assist flyby
2025
Jupiter orbit insertion — begin 4-year science mission
2030
End of primary mission after 49 Europa flybys
2034
Contractors
LMT
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Sources
- europa.nasa.gov
- jpl.nasa.gov