Exploring Europa: What NASA’s Clipper Can Reveal

The search for alien life in our solar system got a boost in 1979 when NASA’s Voyager 2 snapped detailed photos of Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa. Scientists noticed mysterious patterns, like “crop circles” on Earth, which hinted at possible life-supporting conditions. Now, NASA’s Europa Clipper, the agency’s largest planetary mission, is on its way to unravel these mysteries. Europa Clipper will investigate if Europa has water plumes, which could indicate geological activity and favorable conditions for life. These plumes, if found, would be a significant discovery. The spacecraft will also scout for potential landing sites for future missions.Europa’s surface is covered in a thick layer of ice, yet it has surprisingly few craters. This suggests the ice is actively regenerating, possibly due to a global subsurface ocean. The moon’s unique orbit around Jupiter might also cause heat to be released on the seafloor, creating a potential habitat for alien life. The spacecraft will perform 49 flybys of Europa starting in 2031. Some of these will be used to find promising landing sites by studying regions with those intriguing crop circles. The flybys need to be carefully planned to ensure high-resolution images without too much or too little shadow. If plumes are confirmed, it would be a major step forward in understanding Europa’s habitability. While the moon’s surface is too harsh for life, its subsurface ocean might offer shelter and warmth. This could mean Europa harbors life or at least has the right conditions for it to exist.