NASA's Curious Universe
Europa Clipper's Voyage to Jupiter's Ocean Moon
Oct 1, 2024
Lynnae Quick-Henderson, a planetary scientist at NASA, discusses the exciting Europa Clipper mission, which aims to uncover the secrets of Jupiter's ocean moon, Europa. She highlights the moon's potential to support life, under its icy surface. The conversation also features Ada Limón, the U.S. Poet Laureate, who shares how she drew inspiration from the mission for her poem 'In Praise of Mystery.' Together, they explore the intersection of science and art, encouraging listeners to reflect on our cosmic connections.
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Quick takeaways
- The Europa Clipper mission will assess whether Europa has the necessary conditions to support life by exploring its subsurface ocean and geological activity.
- Ada Limón's poem, inspired by the Europa Clipper mission, highlights the profound emotional connection and shared existence between humanity and the universe.
Deep dives
The Europa Clipper Mission
The Europa Clipper mission aims to explore Europa, a moon of Jupiter, which is believed to have an ocean of liquid water beneath its thick icy surface. This moon features unique geological structures known as fractures and furrows, which indicate significant geological activity. Featured in the mission are advanced instruments, including cameras that will capture high-resolution images and perform detailed analyses of the surface and potential plumes erupting from its icy crust. The mission will help answer whether Europa has the right conditions to support life, focusing on the presence of water, energy from tidal forces, and essential chemical building blocks.
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