Europa

Europa Clipper Launch No Earlier Than Monday, 14 October

By Keith Cowing
Status Report
NASA
October 12, 2024
Filed under , , , , ,
Europa Clipper Launch No Earlier Than Monday, 14 October
Workers transport NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft from the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility to the SpaceX hangar at Launch Complex 39A on the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 4, 2024. — NASA

NASA and SpaceX are now targeting no earlier than Monday, Oct. 14, for the launch of Europa Clipper.

Following Hurricane Milton, teams are continuing to do checkouts to ensure flight readiness.

The safety of everyone impacted by the storm remains our top priority as the agency begins the assessment and recovery process from the hurricane.

Once the winds subsided to a safe level, the center’s Ride Out Team and engineering teams began initial checkouts to ensure bridges are safe and useable.

Later, a larger assessment team thoroughly checked the entire center.

NASA will provide more information on Clipper launch opportunities as it becomes available.

Saturday, Oct. 12

3:30 p.m. – NASA’s Europa Clipper prelaunch teleconference (following completion of the Launch Readiness Review), with the following participants:

  • NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free
  • Sandra Connelly, deputy associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
  • Jordan Evans, project manager, Europa Clipper, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory
  • Tim Dunn, launch director, NASA’s Launch Services Program
  • Julianna Scheiman, director, NASA Science Missions, SpaceX
  • Mike McAleenan, launch weather officer, 45th Weather Squadron, U.S. Space Force

Coverage of the prelaunch teleconference will stream live on the agency’s website.

4:45 p.m. – NASA’s Europa Clipper science teleconference with the following participants:

  • Gina DiBraccio, acting director, Planetary Science Division, NASA Headquarters
  • Robert Pappalardo, project scientist, Europa Clipper, NASA JPL
  • Haje Korth, deputy project scientist, Europa Clipper, Applied Physics Laboratory
  • Cynthia Phillips, project staff scientist, Europa Clipper, NASA JPL

Coverage of the science teleconference will stream live on the agency’s website.

Coverage of the science teleconference will stream live on the agency’s website.

Media may ask questions during both teleconferences via phone. For the dial-in number and passcode, media should contact the NASA Kennedy newsroom no later than one hour before the start of the event at: [email protected].

6 p.m. – NASA’s Europa Clipper launch preview.

Coverage will stream on NASA+. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.

Sunday, Oct. 13

11:10 a.m. – NASA launch coverage in English begins on NASA+.

11:10 a.m. – NASA launch coverage in Spanish begins on NASA+, and NASA’s Spanish YouTube channel.

12:12 p.m. – Launch

Astrobiology

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