"It's a chance for us to explore not a world that might have been habitable billions of years ago, but a world that might be habitable today right now," said the program scientist Curt Niebur.
"The spacecraft will take five and a half years to reach Jupiter and will sneak within 16 miles of Europa's surface, considerably closer than any other spacecraft," showcasing Clipper's unique mission capabilities.
"Europa is one of the best bets for finding life beyond Earth, with scientists believing its ice-covered ocean could harbor conditions suitable for life," highlighting Europa's significance in astrobiology.
"We will not know from this mission because we can't see that deep," stated deputy project scientist Bonnie Buratti, emphasizing the need for subsequent missions to search for life directly.
Collection
[
|
...
]