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takyon [soylentnews.org] writes:

Mission to Jupiter's Icy Moon Confirmed [nasa.gov]

An icy ocean world in our solar system that could tell us more about the potential for life on other worlds is coming into focus with confirmation of the Europa Clipper [nasa.gov] mission's next phase. The decision allows the mission to progress to completion of final design, followed by the construction and testing of the entire spacecraft and science payload.

[...] The mission will conduct an in-depth exploration of Jupiter's moon Europa and investigate whether the icy moon could harbor conditions suitable for life, honing our insights into astrobiology [nasa.gov]. To develop this mission in the most cost-effective fashion, NASA is targeting to have the Europa Clipper spacecraft complete and ready for launch as early as 2023. The agency baseline commitment, however, supports a launch readiness date by 2025.

Also at Ars Technica [arstechnica.com], The Register [theregister.co.uk], and CNN [cnn.com].

Related: Amino Acids Could Exist Just Centimeters Under Europa's Surface [soylentnews.org]
Impact of the Midterm Elections May be Felt at NASA [soylentnews.org]
White House Budget Request Would Move Launches from SLS to Commercial Providers [soylentnews.org]

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