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NASA selects SpaceX for Jupiter’s moon mission

NASA selects SpaceX for Jupiter’s moon mission

The US space agency is working with Elon Musk’s company on a mission to Europa, near Jupiter. The decision is a huge victory for the billionaire company. SpaceX wants to venture further into the solar system.

The Europa Clipper mission was set in October 2024 by a Falcon Heavy rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA’s contract with SpaceX is worth $178 million ($151.2 million). Initially, it chose its own rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS) for the mission. The development of this device was delayed and exceeded the cost.

Is life possible?

NASA wants to organize the mission to see if there is salt water under the icy surface. This would make life on the Moon possible. The spacecraft will be equipped with cameras and spectrometers to take high-resolution images. NASA wants to use radar to determine if there is liquid water under the ice.

Jupiter’s moon is about 630 million km from Earth. The journey is expected to take more than five years. The probe will make 40 to 50 revolutions around the moon Europa

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