The US space agency is working with Elon Musk’s company for a mission to Europa, a moon near the planet Jupiter. The decision is a major victory for the billionaire’s company. SpaceX wants to venture further into the solar system.
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The Europa Clipper mission is scheduled for October 2024 with a Falcon Heavy rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA’s contract with SpaceX is valued at $178 million ($151.2 million). Initially, she would opt for her own rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS) for the mission. The development of that device was delayed and the cost was exceeded.
Life possible?
NASA wants to organize the mission to find out if there is salt water under the icy surface. That would make life on the moon possible. The spacecraft will be equipped with cameras and spectrometers to capture high-resolution images. NASA wants to use radar to determine whether there is liquid water under the ice.
The Jupiter moon is about 630 million kilometers from Earth. The journey is expected to take more than five years. The orbiter will make 40 to 50 revolutions around the moon Europa
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