NASA launches the Europa Clipper spacecraft to study Jupiter’s moon Europa, which has the most favorable conditions for life. Astronomers believe that there is an ocean that is more than 100 kilometers deep and contains twice as much water as the Earth’s oceans.
Search for extraterrestrial life or search for habitable stars.
The search for extraterrestrial life is perhaps one of humanity’s most important missions. But this is not easy. The starting point is to look for vital signs. Potential for life on other planets Water is the potential for life that scientists around the world use as a measure.
However, stars in space that contain water Although aliens may not be found But on the other hand, it is not completely useless. Because water is another sign that says People may be able to live there. Which is one of the main goals of the NASA organization at the moment, by finding new stars that support human life. On the day that the world is gradually declining
At the same time, the moon Europa may or may not have living things there. We cannot be sure that stars with water will have a chance to meet aliens. Because extraterrestrial beings may have different forms or needs than humans, for example, they may live on planets where there is no air, light or water at all.
Europa’s moon It is a satellite of Jupiter. The planet is almost completely covered in frozen ice. It was discovered by Galileo Galilei more than 400 years ago. along with its three other sisters, Ganymede, Callisto and the moon Io And evidence of an ocean on the moon has been found in Europe since the late 1990s Are the conditions under the ice suitable for life?
Europa the moon This is the sixth largest moon in the solar system. And it is the 15th largest object in the solar system. This is not the only interesting thing about this icy moon. Scientists believe that this frozen moon has three times more water than on Earth, so it has received a lot of attention from scientists around the world. Because in addition to the crust of ice Carbon dioxide was also found above the surface of the moon.
Studies by the Juno spacecraft in late 2023 found that Europa could produce up to 1,000 tons of oxygen per day, with some of the oxygen able to penetrate beneath the ice crust. This could create a large supply of oxygen for life under the moon’s oceans.
A long journey to hope
NASA has launched the Europa Clipper spacecraft to study the moon Europa. In detail on October 10, there are solar panels 30 meters long on each side, and monitoring equipment hidden in a shield to protect against cosmic rays. It consists of a material analyzer that can be used to create images and map the topography of the planet. It uses infrared radiation analysis to find traces of life.
Europa Clipper’s mission is to hope that the moon Europa can be inhabited. Through three components: liquid water, energy, and carbon dioxide. which makes this planet conducive to life
After all, the world is rich. It has been around for almost 4 billion years. can still live and reproduce until the first generation of humans, Homo habilis, was born.
When you look into the moon of Europe Up there, there was a completely dark, salty ocean hundreds of meters in depth. This means that photosynthesis has no chance of happening there. But scientists later found that in a volcanic hot spot under the floor of the Pacific Ocean there are living things growing around. Deep sea water windows These organisms lacked photosynthesis. But it is caused by chemical synthesis. This is how living things get energy from chemical reactions. Therefore, sunlight may not be necessary for some organisms.
Ocean on the moon Europe region
The water in Europa’s ocean is kept liquid by heat from freezing. This heat is produced by interacting with Jupiter’s gravity. But it will be possible to live in the European seas. A continuous supply of components is necessary to carry out any type of chemical synthesis.
Apparently, these components are present. They may come from hydrothermal vents on Europa’s surface like Earth’s surface. Or it comes from material that has passed through the ice sheet, known as the top of the sea.
There is further evidence that material is escaping from Europa’s surface into other vacuums. If these objects came from the ocean, studying its contents will help to understand the possibilities for life in the oceans.
The new goal is at NASA
NASA has long aimed to send a spacecraft to study the moon Europa. But many missions were canceled for various reasons. NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft project was launched in April 2023, and the launch of the space shuttle was completed on October 10, local time.
Europa Clipper will reach its destination in April 2030, staying in the Jupiter system for three years. will not affect Europa Instead, it will orbit Jupiter in such a way that it will pass by Europa’s moon 44 times, releasing nine instruments to study Europa’s oceans, geology and surface.
NASA’s main mission statement says that Europa Clipper’s main scientific goal is to find out if there is anywhere below the surface of the icy moon Europa that could be habitable. The hope is in different technologies. which is more advanced than Mars research, and finally, although we may not have found anything special But it seems that this research will be essential in expanding our limited knowledge of the solar system and space.
for the Europa Clipper operation during Europa flybys Magnetometers determine the depth and salinity of the ocean. Spectrometry devices analyze various substances. The radar goes into the ground to find out if there is water inside the shell. And an infrared instrument scans the surface for any organic matter that may have appeared. Including taking pictures of various heat points.
For decades many astronomers and scientists point to the branch at Europa’s ocean. It is a planet with potential for human life. But this is humanity’s first purposeful mission to explore the oceans beyond Earth and look for signs of habitation on other planets.
In fact, if there are signs of life, Europa Clipper is ready to land on Europa’s surface. to get more information So this NASA mission is exciting. and very interesting to follow
Researched and edited by Sittichot Suphawan.
Photos by Carsten Peter and Chris Gunn.
reference
https://stuff.co.za/2024/10/20/nasas-europa-clipper-spacecraft-investigate/
https://evrimagaci.org/tpg/nasa-launches-europa-clipper-to-probe-moon-for-life-47363
