NASA on Monday authorized the launch to Jupiter’s moon Europa for the next month after assessing the spacecraft’s resilience to the high radiation levels there.
Transistors on the Europa Clipper spacecraft were questioned earlier this year due to identical issues that appeared elsewhere. NASA raced to test the electrical components to make sure they could withstand the $5 billion mission to find out if the water beneath Europa’s frozen surface is a viable place for life, given the short launch window.
October 10th is still the planned launch date for a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. The spacecraft must swing past Mars and then Earth for gravitational assistance; NASA has three weeks to launch the craft before pausing for over a year to await another proper planetary alignment.
According to project manager Jordan Evans, when Europa Clipper is subjected to the highest radiation levels during its 49 moon flybys, the transistors, which are found in circuits throughout the spacecraft, are anticipated to deteriorate. However, Evans of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory stated that they ought to recuperate in the three weeks that elapse between each meeting.
Teams from labs around the nation arrived at that decision after four months of nonstop testing.
“high confidence we can complete the original mission for exploring Europa as planned,” Evans stated on behalf of the project. “We are ready for Jupiter.”
Europa Clipper’s journey to Jupiter, where it will circle the gas giant every three weeks, will take six years. Numerous flybys of Europa at a distance of up to 16 miles (25 kilometers) are scheduled, enabling the mapping of almost the whole moon with cameras and other sensors, such as ice-penetrating radar.
With its solar panels extended, Europa Clipper is the largest spacecraft NASA has ever constructed to explore a planet, measuring over 100 feet (30 meters).