NASA's Europa Clipper mission, in collaboration with SpaceX, has successfully launched to explore Jupiter's moon Europa, which scientists believe could potentially harbor life beneath its icy surface. The spacecraft, valued at $5 billion, was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:06 p.m. EDT (9:36 p.m. IST) on Monday.

"Liftoff, @EuropaClipper!" NASA Administrator Bill Nelson wrote, expressing excitement about the mission. "Today, we embark on a new journey across the solar system in search of the ingredients for life within Jupiter's icy moon. Our next chapter in space exploration has begun," he said.

Europa Clipper marks NASA’s first detailed investigation of Europa, a Jovian moon believed to have a salty ocean beneath its frozen crust. This ocean may contain the essential conditions to support life, making it a prime target for exploration. The mission aims to enhance our understanding of how life formed on Earth and the potential for discovering life beyond our planet.

Despite a brief concern regarding venting in the spacecraft's propulsion system, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory confirmed that the system was operating as expected.

Six hours after launch, Europa Clipper is set to deploy its solar arrays, which span over 30 meters and weigh approximately 6,000 kilograms. The spacecraft will travel 1.8 billion miles over the next five years, reaching Jupiter by April 2030, aided by gravity assists from Earth and Mars.

Once it reaches the Jovian system, the spacecraft will orbit Jupiter and conduct around 50 flybys of Europa. Scientists hope the mission will reveal crucial details about Europa’s ice shell, the ocean beneath, and its geological makeup. The data gathered will provide significant insights into the potential for habitability on other worlds in the solar system.

This launch marks the 11th mission for the Falcon Heavy rocket and its second interplanetary venture. It is also the first time the rocket has expended all three of its first-stage boosters.

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