The Europa Clipper spacecraft was recently refueled, an important step in preparation for its mission to Jupiter's moon Europa
Technicians complete refueling of NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft on Sept. 22 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The Europa Clipper propulsion module, which is the largest spacecraft NASA has ever built for a planetary mission, is an aluminum cylinder three meters long and five meters wide, and contains the spacecraft's 24 engine array and 2,752.2 kg of fuel in two fuel tanks , and also the pressure tanks containing helium. The fuel and oxidizer in the tanks will flow into the 24 engines, creating a controlled chemical reaction that will create thrust in space during the journey aimed at determining whether there are places beneath the icy mantle of Jupiter's moon Europa that could support life.
After launch, the spacecraft will fly by Mars in February 2025, then back to Earth in December 2026, using the gravity of each planet to increase its momentum. With this "gravitational assistance," Europa Clipper will gain the necessary speed to reach Jupiter in April 2030.
NASA has scheduled the launch for Thursday, October 10 aboard SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket from historic Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.
Europa Clipper carries a complex array of instruments and components to determine the thickness of the moon's ice mantle and its interactions with the ocean beneath it, study its composition and characterize its geology.
For information on the NASA website
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