The Europa Clipper mission is going on a special adventure to explore a giant ice-covered ocean moon called Europa, which orbits Jupiter.
Imagine Europa like a frozen lake that’s actually hiding a huge, salty sea underneath. The Europa Clipper will fly by this moon many times, taking lots of pictures and measurements to learn about the hidden sea and whether it could have life in it, kind of like peering under a thick ice cream scoop to see what's inside.
Like a Detective on a Space Scooter
Think of the Europa Clipper as a detective riding a space scooter. It will zoom by Europa, using special tools to check out the ice and maybe even drop some little robots to take a closer look at the hidden ocean below.
The mission is like going on a long road trip with a bunch of cool stop signs, each one gives new clues about what’s hiding under the ice.
A Clue About Life
Scientists think Europa's hidden sea might be just like Earth's oceans, but way, way far away. If there are creatures in that ocean, it would be a huge discovery, like finding fish swimming in a frozen lake on another planet!
The Europa Clipper wants to know if this hidden sea is real and what secrets it holds.
Examples
- Imagine a big, icy ball floating in space, Europa Clipper wants to check inside it for living things.
- Like a detective, Europa Clipper will investigate Jupiter’s moon for clues of hidden oceans and possible life.
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See also
- Who is Europa Clipper?
- Why is NASA sending a mission to an asteroid made of metal?
- Why is NASA trying to send humans back to the Moon?
- What will nasas artemis ii astronauts see on the moon?
- How are reusable rockets changing space travel economics?