In the wake of the Cold War, the U.S. stopped producing its own plutonium, a small usage of which is to power spacecraft and that had consequences for science.
NASA decides against launching Europa Clipper using the Space Launch System
Shane McGlaun - Feb 13, 2021, 11:25am CST
One of the places in our solar system that scientists have hopes of harboring extraterrestrial life is Europa, one of the moons of Jupiter. To learn more about the icy moon, NASA is gearing up to launch the Europa Clipper mission. Originally, that mission was to be launched aboard the Space Launch System known as SLS.
However, a few days ago, NASA confirmed during a presentation meeting of its Outer Planets Assessment Group that leaders of the Europa Clipper project decided to consider only commercial launch vehicles for the mission. That means the end of support for launch aboard the SLS.
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Artist’s concept of the Europa Clipper spacecraft, with Europa and Jupiter in the background. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
NASA has decided to launch the multibillion-dollar Europa Clipper mission on a commercial heavy-lift rocket in October 2024, and not on the government-owned Space Launch System, officials said Wednesday.
The decision ends a prolonged dilemma for NASA, which until last year was legally required to launch the Europa Clipper mission on the more expensive Space Launch System. The language passed in previous NASA appropriations bills directed NASA to launch the probe on the SLS rocket, but Congress relented in the fiscal year 2021 spending bill passed in December.