Gravity Assist: Set Sail for Europa | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

NASA is launching the Europa Clipper mission in the mid-2020s to explore Jupiter's moon Europa and investigate the potential for life in its subsurface ocean.

Key Insights

• 🥮 Jupiter's moon Europa has a subsurface ocean and is a prime target for investigating the potential for life beyond Earth.
• 🤘 Europa Clipper will study Europa's icy crust, subsurface ocean, and potential plumes to search for signs of life.
• 🛟 Life in Europa's ocean may not rely on sunlight, but instead on chemical reactions similar to organisms near hydrothermal vents on Earth.
• 🥮 The presence of plumes on Europa indicates possible organic material and offers opportunities to sample the moon's interior.

Transcript

Ocean worlds around our giant planets are there  to be discovered. Europa Clipper is being built   to do just that. Let's find out what it can do. Hi, I'm Jim Green, Chief Scientist at NASA and   this is Gravity Assist. On this season of Gravity  Assist, we're looking for life beyond Earth.  I'm here with Dr. Bob Pappalardo and he is  a Senior Scie... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: How many moons does Jupiter have, and what distinguishes Europa from the others?

Jupiter has approximately 79 moons, but Europa, along with three other Galilean moons, is unique as it resembles a world with rock and ice. Europa's subsurface ocean, containing liquid water, sets it apart from the other moons.

Q: Does life in Europa's ocean require sunlight?

Life in Europa's ocean does not rely on photosynthesis or sunlight. Instead, potential life forms would depend on chemical reactions similar to some organisms found near hydrothermal vents on Earth.

Q: Are there indications of plumes or eruptions on Europa?

There is evidence from observations by the Hubble Space Telescope suggesting the existence of plumes on Europa. The Europa Clipper mission hopes to confirm their presence and study their characteristics, such as size and activity levels.

Q: When is the launch of the Europa Clipper mission scheduled?

The Europa Clipper mission is planned to launch in the mid-2020s. Depending on the chosen launch vehicle, it will take several years, possibly up to six, to reach Jupiter.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The NASA Europa Clipper mission aims to study Jupiter's moon Europa, which has a rocky core surrounded by a subsurface ocean covered with a thick icy crust.

• Europa is one of Jupiter's 79 moons, but its proximity to the surface and potential liquid water make it a fascinating target for searching for signs of life.

• The mission will investigate the possibilities of finding single-cell organisms in Europa's ocean that are not reliant on sunlight for survival, similar to life seen at hydrothermal vents on Earth.