Mission controllers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California have confirmed that the two solar arrays flanking the main body of the Europa Clipper spacecraft have fully unfolded. This means that the spacecraft now has a reliable source of power for the rest of its journey to Jupiter and tour of the Jovian system. …
Mission controllers for NASA’s Europa Clipper have received full acquisition of signal from the spacecraft. NASA’s Europa Clipper will be the first mission to conduct a detailed science investigation of Jupiter’s moon Europa. Scientists believe Europa has a salty ocean beneath its icy crust that potentially could hold the ingredients necessary to sustain life. The …
The second stage of the SpaceX Falcon Heavy completed its Earth departure burn, and NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft separated from the second stage. Technicians will now work to acquire signal from the spacecraft to verify its health and the spacecraft will spread its massive solar arrays to power itself as it continues on its mission …
The orbital departure burn is planned to happen in just about 5 minutes. The second stage engine will restart for its second burn (SES-2) and will continue to burn for approximately 3 minutes. This second burn will give the Europa Clipper spacecraft the thrust it needs escape Earth’s gravity. When the burn is complete, the …
The initial second stage engine cutoff (SECO-1) is complete. The second stage engine will restart for its second burn (SES-2) in just about 40 minutes. This second burn (SECO-2) will give the Europa Clipper spacecraft the additional thrust needed to escape Earth’s gravity, after which the spacecraft will separate from the second stage. You can …
The Falcon Heavy passed Max Q, or the moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket, and reached booster engine cutoff (BECO), where both boosters cease firing and separated from the center core. The center booster also completed its burn and separated from the second stage that carries the Europa Clipper spacecraft. After that the …
We have liftoff! NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft, launched from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:06 p.m. EDT. The Falcon Heavy’s 27 Merlin engines are generating more than 5 million pounds of thrust, quickly pushing the vehicle through the atmosphere and away from the Florida spaceport. The Falcon Heavy first stage …
NASA Launch Manager Tim Dunn has just given NASA’s Europa Clipper mission a “go” for launch! Mission and launch managers are counting down to the launch of the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This will be NASA’s second interplanetary mission for SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy, following …
We are about 10 minutes from launch and the weather outlook for NASA’s Europa Clipper launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida remains outstanding. Weather officials the U.S. Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station predict a 95% chance of favorable conditions for liftoff of NASA’s Europa Clipper mission.
Along with the science instruments and hardware needed for NASA’s Europa Clipper’s long journey to the Jovian system, the spacecraft also continues the long legacy of NASA spacecraft carrying inspirational messages from Earth, including the Pioneer Plaque, the Voyager Golden Record, and engravings carried aboard NASA’s Mars rovers. The original poem “In Praise of Mystery: …
