SPACE ยท 1 min read
Europa Clipper Will Investigate an Ocean Beneath the Ice
NASA's mission is traveling to Jupiter to investigate Europa's habitability. It has not returned the sampling results we previously described.
By Tara Patel
Correction, October 18, 2026: Our earlier story said Europa Clipper had directly sampled water and found organic compounds at Europa. The mission has not delivered those results. We have removed those claims and the unsupported claim of a fast-tracked lander.
NASA's Europa Clipper FAQ says the spacecraft launched October 14, 2024, and is due to arrive at Jupiter in 2030. The mission will survey Europa to investigate whether environments beneath its surface could support life.
Why scientists are interested in Europa
NASA describes strong evidence for a saltwater ocean beneath the moon's ice. Clipper will gather data about the moon and the conditions that might make it habitable.
Evidence for an ocean, evidence of habitable conditions, and evidence of life answer different questions. Our earlier article incorrectly presented a future mission's investigation as completed sampling.