News Europa Clipper reaches Mars tomorrow!

[Jend-Ro Quill]

The mission: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/europa-clipper/

https://www.nasa.gov/missions/europa-clipper/nasas-europa-clipper-uses-mars-to-go-the-distance/
"The orbiter bound for Jupiter's moon Europa will investigate whether the moon is habitable, but it first will get the help of Mars' gravitational force to get to deep space. On March 1, NASA's Europa Clipper will streak just 550 miles (884 kilometers) above the surface of Mars for what's known as a gravity assist — a maneuver to bend the spacecraft's trajectory and position it for a critical leg of its long voyage to the Jupiter system...Europa Clipper will be closest to the Red Planet at 12:57 p.m. EST."

Here's a real neat interactive visualizer of the Clipper's trajectory. The website also models other ongoing interplanetary missions (ESA's Juice and Hera spacecraft, and NASA's Lucy and Psyche spacecraft). https://whereis.space/europa-clipper/

 

[Quinn Varanin]

That's so hype! I had seen some stuff, I've just failed to keep up on it.

 

[Jend-Ro Quill]

That's so hype! I had seen some stuff, I've just failed to keep up on it.

I'm seriously so excited, even watched the launch with the kids. If any mission could make me a Space Guy it's this one. The oceans! The chance of life! The ultra-telescoping sensor packages!

 

[Rik Perris]

Oh man, that's exciting!

Thanks for posting this, I'd just about forgot.

 

[Quinn Varanin]

That's amazing!!!!

 

[Jend-Ro Quill]

Oh man, that's exciting!

Thanks for posting this, I'd just about forgot.

I'm thinking there might be livestreaming tomorrow on NASA's Youtube, even, if we're lucky: https://www.youtube.com/nasa

 

[Jend-Ro Quill]

Oh wow, check this out! Interactive solar system with all the active spacecraft. https://eyes.nasa.gov/apps/solar-system/#/sc_europa_clipper

 

[Caelan Valoren]

Isn't it too far away to technically be habitable? It would be too cold, wouldn't it?

 

[Jend-Ro Quill]

Isn't it too far away to technically be habitable? It would be too cold, wouldn't it?

I think they mean habitable as in 'could support life' rather than 'could support Earth life.' Some stuff: https://europa.nasa.gov/news/33/europa-a-world-of-ice-with-potential-for-life/

 

[Caelan Valoren]

I think they mean habitable as in 'could support life' rather than 'could support Earth life.' Some stuff: https://europa.nasa.gov/news/33/europa-a-world-of-ice-with-potential-for-life/

That would make more sense, yeah.