A trip of 1.8 billion miles. That’s the journey NASA’s newest astrobiology mission, the Europa Clipper, must undertake to reach Jupiter and its enchanting, ice-coated moon, Europa.
Scientists are anxious to get a closer look at Europa for a number of reasons, but the main one is that the giant moon has the right conditions for potentially harboring life. But the expedition won’t be a direct flight. The spacecraft will dance around the Solar System for seven years before it arrives at Europa. The winding road will include needing to ace several slingshot maneuvers as well as close approaches with Jupiter’s other Galilean moons. Here’s the long journey in closer detail.
