Short Wave Europa Clipper And The Search For Life In Space
Oct 16, 2024
Astrobiologist Mike Wong joins to discuss the newly launched Europa Clipper mission, which aims to explore the icy moon Europa and assess its habitability. He shares his passion for Europa, highlighting its underwater ocean and the potential for extraterrestrial life. The conversation expands to other icy moons like Saturn's Enceladus and Titan, discussing their similarities and the necessary conditions for supporting life. Wong emphasizes the mission's significance and the exciting possibilities that lie ahead in our search for life beyond Earth.
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Europa's Ocean
- Europa likely has a salty, global liquid water ocean under its icy surface.
- This is inferred from how Europa interacts with Jupiter's magnetic field, suggesting electrical conductivity.
Cassini's Discoveries
- The Cassini mission explored Saturn's moons, including Enceladus, revealing a liquid ocean and hydrothermal systems.
- These systems are thought to be important for the origin of life and might exist on Europa too.
Sampling Enceladus
- Cassini directly sampled water from Enceladus's geysers, offering insights into its ocean's composition.
- This data provided clues about potential building blocks of life, but not definitive proof.