NASA has sent a probe to Europa, Jupiter’s Ocean Moon. The Europa Clipper probe was launched using a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. The launch took place from the Kennedy Space Center. 

On Monday, October 14, six minutes after 12 a.m. local time (6:06 p.m. in Poland), SpaceX’s Falcon 9 took off from Launch Pad 39A of the Kennedy Space Center complex. It carried into space an invaluable probe – Europa Clipper. 

Source: NASA 

NASA and SpaceX have confirmed that Europa Clipper has been successfully launched into space. Thus began its long journey to Jupiter. Europa Clipper is scheduled to enter the planet’s orbit in 2030 after a 5.5-year flight and a journey of nearly three billion kilometers. This is due to a trajectory that uses gravity assist to give the spacecraft the right speed and direction. The probe will fly first past Mars and then again past Earth. It will use the gravity of each planet to increase its speed. 

Europa Clipper is the largest space probe ever built. It is 30.5 meters long and 17.6 meters wide. It has huge wings with solar panels. 

Source: National Geographic