The Europa Clipper mission is designed to explore Jupiter’s icy moon Europa, which is believed to harbor an ocean beneath its thick ice shell. This NASA mission will investigate whether Europa has the necessary conditions to support life by performing nearly 50 flybys of the moon. Equipped with state-of-the-art instruments, the spacecraft will gather data about the moon’s surface, ice structure, and potential water plumes. These observations will help scientists understand Europa’s composition and its potential for harboring life beneath its ice-covered ocean​.

Europa Clipper's payload includes a range of scientific tools such as ice-penetrating radar, spectrometers, and thermal imaging systems, which will help reveal the moon’s internal structure and composition. The spacecraft will be protected from Jupiter’s intense radiation by a specially designed vault to shield its electronics. With its enormous solar arrays, the spacecraft is also one of the largest NASA has ever built for a planetary mission​.

The launch date was Monday, October 14, 2024 at 4:06 PM (UTC).