NASA And SpaceX Will Launch The Europa Clipper Mission Today

Falcon Heavy rocket with Europa Clipper spacecraft (photo: dock. NASA)

JAKARTA NASA has set a new launch window for the Europa Clipper spacecraft. The Europa rover, the moon from Jupiter, is scheduled to launch on Monday, October 14.

According to a schedule released on NASA's official website, the vehicle will fly on SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket at 23.06 WIB. The aircraft will take off from the Kennedy Space Center, one of NASA's launch facilities, in Florida.

If the Europa Clipper fails to launch due to technical problems or weather conditions, the launch window will open until November 6. After this vehicle is placed in orbit, the Europa Clipper will approach Jupiter and begin orbiting in 2030.

One year later, Europa Clipper will make 49 cross-Erupa flights to observe the moon. While circling Europa, this spacecraft will find out if the moon has life-forming organic materials.

"The three main science goals of Europa Clipper are to determine the thickness of the lunar ice sheet and its interaction with the ocean below, investigate its composition, and characterize its geology," NASA said.

Europa Clipper was supposed to launch on October 10, but its launch schedule was delayed due to Hurricane Milton in Florida. This storm is moving at a very high pace, which is 281km per hour, so NASA and SpaceX need to secure their rides.

The team has ensured that the launch pad and its vehicle are not damaged so that the latest launch schedule can be made quickly. To ensure the launch runs smoothly, NASA is still observing weather conditions to date.