To investigate this intriguing world, NASA is launching the Europa Clipper mission, which will conduct multiple close flybys to study the moon in detail. This will be the one of first missions ever dedicated to exploring an ocean world beyond Earth. By analyzing Europa’s potential to sustain life, the mission could provide insights into life-supporting environments on other oceanic worlds, even those outside the Solar System.
Europa Clipper’s journey to Jupiter
After launch, Europa Clipper will make two planetary flybys to adjust its trajectory and speed up. In February 2025, it will come to within 500 to 1,000 kilometers (300 to 600 miles) of Mars. Then, in December 2026, the spacecraft will pass by Earth for its second gravity assist, passing about 3,200 kilometers (2,000 miles) above Earth.
It will arrive at the Jupiter system in 2030, orbiting Jupiter instead of Europa to spend less time inside the planet’s intense radiation field. The spacecraft will periodically dive through more intense radiation to fly by Europa and collect data, and then move away again. Even with this orbit, most of the Europa Clipper instruments have to be housed in a radiation vault on the spacecraft to protect them from damage.
Europa Clipper will make more than 40 flybys of Europa, shifting its flight path for each encounter to pass over a different location. Its closest planned approach will take it as low as 25 kilometers (16 miles) above the surface.