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There is no close-up image of Europa Clipper. The 3D model shows an artist’s impression.

Space probe

Europa Clipper

Europa Clipper is a big space probe on its way to Jupiter's moon Europa. Its job is to find out whether there could be life in the sea under the ice.

Fact file

Europa Clipper is the largest planetary probe NASA has ever built – more than 30 m wide with its solar panels unfolded.
Its task is to find out whether the ocean beneath Europa's ice has the conditions for life.
On board is a plaque with a poem and the names of 2.6 million people.

The mission began on 14 October 2024.

Europa Clipper visited Mars and Jupiter. All milestones with their dates are listed further down this page.

A NASA mission, launched in 2024 on a Falcon Heavy rocket.

To avoid the strong radiation at Jupiter, it orbits Jupiter and makes only brief flybys of Europa – almost 50 of them.

It measures the thickness of the ice shell, looks for water plumes and studies what the ocean is made of.

Beneath Europa's ice there could be twice as much water as in all of Earth's oceans.

14 October 2024Launch at Earth
Launch on a Falcon Heavy rocket from Cape Canaveral.
1 March 2025Mars at Mars
Swing-by of Mars.
3 December 2026Earth at Earth
Swing-by of Earth (planned).
11 April 2030Arrival at Jupiter at Jupiter
Entering orbit around Jupiter, followed by many flybys of Europa (planned).