mission’s deployable solar array wings during testing at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.”>View Image / The main body of NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft is mirrored in one of its solar array wing tests at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. (credit: Nasa Frank Michaux)
This summer, there were significant concerns regarding whether NASA’s premier mission aimed at examining Jupiter’s icy moon Europa would be able to launch on schedule this year.
In May, technical teams expressed apprehensions that the transistors integrated within the spacecraft could potentially suffer damage due to radiation—an ever-present risk for any device navigating the harsh environment surrounding Jupiter. These transistors are crucial components embedded in the spacecraft’s electronics, supporting around 200 distinct functions, many pivotal for ensuring successful operations as it circulates around Jupiter and conducts multiple flybys over Europa with nine advanced scientific instruments.
The transistors have already been fitted onto the Europa Clipper; however, extracting them for either evaluation or replacement would inevitably postpone the mission’s launch until late next year. Currently, there exists a 21-day window starting October 10th for launching Europa Clipper towards its expedition into the distant reaches of our solar system.
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