Europa, one of Jupiter’s largest moons, has always been a source of fascination for scientists. Europa has an icy crust, and scientists are almost convinced that it hides a large saltwater ocean, containing double the amount of water as Earth’s oceans. Due to this, NASA will be launching the Europa Clipper in 2024, which is a spacecraft with the primary objective of determining whether Europa has the conditions necessary to support life, which are water, chemistry, and energy. Firstly, when it comes to liquid water, as stated before, Europa might have a large saltwater ocean. Water dissolves nutrients for organisms to eat, transports important chemicals within living cells, and supports metabolism. Scientists think that there is a rocky seafloor at the bottom of Europa’s ocean, where hydrothermal activity supplies chemical nutrients that could support living organisms. Secondly, Europa’s icy shell may contain certain chemicals such as carbon, oxygen, sulphur, nitrogen and hydrogen, which are essential for the survival of organisms. It is also believed that an internal heating process, termed tidal flexing, operates within Europa’s icy shell. This mechanism involves the circulation of water and nutrients, fostering conditions beneath the surface that support a chemistry suitable for life. Thirdly, Jupiter has a strong gravitational pull on Europa, which creates tides that stretch and tug, thus producing heat. Also, Europa receives a lot of radiation from Jupiter. While this means life can’t exist on its surface, the radiation can provide fuel for life below the surface. NASA has a long history of actively involving the general public in its missions. For this mission, they’ve started a campaign called ‘Message in a Bottle’ where people can submit their names on NASA’s website, and these names will be stencilled onto a microchip that will ride aboard the spacecraft. This campaign has received an enthusiastic response from everyone. If this mission is successful, its implications will be huge, as the question of whether life exists beyond the Earth is one of the most important questions in science. The ‘Message in a Bottle’ campaign resonates with the inclusive spirit of exploration, highlighting our shared venture into the unknown. As the Europa Clipper sets sail through the cosmos, it not only signifies a technological triumph, but a giant leap in humanity’s quest for extra-terrestrial life. Kavya Malik and Simrit Kaur, 10A
Leave a Reply