Biosignatures & Paleobiology

Unboxing The Europa Clipper Astrobiology Spacecraft

By Keith Cowing
May 31, 2024
Unboxing The Europa Clipper Astrobiology Spacecraft
Technicians remove Europa Clipper from its protective shipping container inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at Kennedy Space Center larger image — NASA

Technicians remove NASA’s largest planetary mission spacecraft, Europa Clipper, from its protective shipping container inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday, May 28, 2024.

Slated to launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket later this year from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy, Europa Clipper will help determine if conditions exist below the surface Jupiter’s fourth largest moon, Europa that could support life.

Technicians inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida prepare to rotate the agency’s largest planetary mission spacecraft, Europa Clipper, to a vertical position on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, as part of prelaunch processing. NASA ID: KSC-20240528-PH-KLS02_0003 Date Created:2024-05-28 larger image

Technicians inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida monitor movement and guide the agency’s largest planetary mission spacecraft, Europa Clipper, as a cranehoists it on a stand as part of prelaunch processing on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. NASA ID: KSC-20240528-PH-KLS02_0107 Date Created:2024-05-28 larger image

Astrobiology

Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA Space Station Payload manager/space biologist, Away Teams, Journalist, Lapsed climber, Synaesthete, Na’Vi-Jedi-Freman-Buddhist-mix, ASL, Devon Island and Everest Base Camp veteran, (he/him) 🖖🏻