A large NASA spacecraft is headed to a dangerous area of the solar system.
A journey through relentless space environments.
The Europa Clipper, a NASA spacecraft, is equipped with a security system in the form of a metal vault that protects its computers, software, and various electronic components. This spacecraft, designed to explore Jupiter's moon Europa, is comparable in size to a basketball court and is preparing for a journey to this satellite, which is believed to have an ocean with double the volume of Earth's. During approximately 50 flybys of Europa, NASA's mission will seek to answer whether this ocean contains the necessary ingredients, such as an energy source and specific materials, that could support life.
The radioactive environment surrounding Europa is particularly harsh, posing a significant challenge for the spacecraft. According to Cynthia Phillips, a planetary geologist at NASA and part of the project team, the region where Europa is located is subjected to intense radiation generated by Jupiter's magnetic field, a gas giant that is 317 times more massive than Earth. This magnetic field, originating from its liquid metallic core, traps and accelerates particles from the solar wind, forming dangerous radiation belts around Jupiter. Curt Niebur, a scientist with the Europa Clipper program, notes that any spacecraft circulating through the area has a high likelihood of passing through these harmful zones.
Historically, NASA engineers have faced similar concerns. During the Voyager mission, it was estimated that a passenger on that spacecraft would have been exposed to a radiation dose a thousand times greater than the lethal limit when passing close to Jupiter. If Jupiter's enormous magnetic field could be observed, it would appear two to three times larger than the Sun or the Moon as seen from Earth.
To combat this issue, the Europa Clipper features the aforementioned vault, which significantly reduces damaging radiation to its components. However, some transistors located outside of this initial protection raised initial concerns during radiation tolerance testing. Fortunately, a series of additional tests confirmed that these transistors will function properly during the 50 scheduled flybys over a period of three and a half years.
The mission engineers have implemented a "canary box," an extra addition to the spacecraft, which contains different types of transistors to monitor for potential damage in real-time. If any defects are detected, the team could adjust the mission accordingly.
The orbital plan for Europa Clipper has also been designed to minimize exposure time to high-radiation areas, ensuring that the spacecraft spends less than a day in these zones before retreating and returning to them two to three weeks later. During its flybys of Europa between 2031 and 2034, the spacecraft is equipped to perform detailed scans, including a radar that will penetrate the ice in search of liquid water and a dust analyzer that will collect particles expelled by meteorite impacts on the moon's surface. Additionally, it is expected to capture a large number of images of Europa.
With the arsenal of instruments onboard, NASA will be able to assess whether this satellite has the right elements to sustain life, such as energy sources and organic compounds. If the findings are positive, the agency will have plans for a return mission that includes a landing on the icy crust, this time searching for signs of life in the underlying ocean.
