After years of relentless pressure and spurred by the discovery of potential ocean plumes emanating from Europa, NASA finally acquiesced and formally requested funding for a Europa Clipper mission in 2015 — though only a meager $15 million, far below what was needed. John Culberson, then the powerful chair of the House Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Subcommittee, gave NASA $100 million instead. The following year, NASA asked for another paltry amount, slow-walking the mission despite obvious political support. Culberson provided $175 million. The Obama White House resisted until the end, with its final budget requesting a mere $49 million for fiscal year 2017. Culberson ensured the project got $275 million. It wasn’t until the 2018 budget request that NASA finally asked for the funding it needed to launch Europa Clipper by 2024. Since then, Congress has obliged the request every year.
Europa prepares to make history
The Europa Clipper mission is now due to launch as early as Oct. 10, 2024. It will arrive at the Jupiter system in 2030 and make at least 45 flybys of Europa.
An ice-penetrating radar instrument will map the moon’s ice and the possible lakes within. Other instruments will measure the moon’s magnetic properties to confirm the presence of the subsurface ocean. They will also help determine the depth of Europa’s icy shell and ocean. Two sets of cameras operating at different wavelengths will map the moon’s surface and search for plumes. Another instrument will look for small particles ejected from Europa that could trace potential plumes. Two spectrometers will measure the composition of Europa’s surface and atmosphere to get a sense of the makeup of its hidden ocean. If possible, the spacecraft may even soar through plumes of water that shoot through the moon’s crust. Although NASA has stated that Europa Clipper is not officially a life-detection mission, it still holds the potential to expand our understanding of life elsewhere in our Solar System.
This mission didn’t just happen. That we are going is the outcome of decades of effort by thousands of people, the dedicated scientists and engineers on the Europa Clipper mission most of all. The Planetary Society and its members are proud to have played a role building a firm political and public foundation to support the endeavor. Europa does not give up its secrets easily, but now, for the first time in human history, we will seek them out.