SpaceX Falcon Heavy

This artist's concept shows NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft as it orbits Jupiter and passes over the icy moon Europa. The mission, scheduled to reach Jupiter in April 2030, will be the first to conduct an in-depth study of Europa. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

NASA's Europa Clipper launches: A bold search for life on Jupiter's icy moon

The largest spacecraft ever built for an interplanetary mission has begun its long journey to explore Europa, with the goal of uncovering the secrets of the ocean beneath the ice and possibly finding evidence of extraterrestrial life.