Juno Spacecraft Europa Flyby!!! First images in over 20 years!!

[lilikoi]

Cool! Not too long ago we got to see Europa thanks to a sidewalk astronomer. It was mind boggling to learn that NASA is planning a mission here in 2024, that it will take about six years to reach Europa, and to wonder if signs of life will be found! An article about the mission: https://europa.nasa.gov/news/54/nasas-europa-clipper-spacecraft-kicks-assembly-into-high-gear/

Some facts from NASA’s Europa sticker backing: “Europa – one of Jupiter’s moons – is one of the most intriguing bodies in our solar system. Sandwiched between its icy outer shell and rocky mantle flows a global salty ocean that is twice the volume of all Earth’s oceans combined. Why does that matter? On Earth, wherever we find water, we find life. While Europa’s surface is cold, the moon generates enough internal heat as it is tugged and flexed by Jupiter’s gravity to keep the ocean from freezing. This tidal flexing also generates stresses that can fracture and deform the surface, creating Europa’s ridges, bands, and disrupted iceberg-like areas. Europa’s astonishing geology and astrobiological potential make it a fascinating destination for Exploration.”