PIA24783: Europa Clipper: Propulsion Module Inspection


Europa Clipper: Propulsion Module Inspection

Caption:

Engineers at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, inspect the propulsion module of NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft. In 2022, this major piece of hardware, designed and built at APL, will ship to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California for assembly, test, and launch operations (ATLO).

With an internal global ocean under a thick layer of ice, Jupiter's moon Europa may have the potential to harbor existing life. The Europa Clipper spacecraft will swoop around Jupiter on an elliptical path, dipping close to the moon on each flyby to collect data. Understanding Europa's habitability will help scientists better understand how life developed on Earth and the potential for finding life beyond our planet. Europa Clipper is set to launch in 2024.

Background Info:

More information about Europa and Europa Clipper can be found here: europa.nasa.gov

Cataloging Keywords:

Name Value Additional Values
Target Europa Jupiter
System Jupiter
Target Type Satellite Planet
Mission Europa Clipper
Instrument Host Europa Clipper
Host Type Orbiter
Instrument
Detector
Extra Keywords Color
Acquisition Date
Release Date 2021-08-05
Date in Caption
Image Credit Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
Source photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA24783
Identifier PIA24783