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Just last year NASA launched the largest ever interplanetary space-craft, and hopefully the first craft to approach and conduct scientific studies on Europa. Sp
by n4r9 2y ago
Just last year NASA launched the largest ever interplanetary space-craft, and hopefully the first craft to approach and conduct scientific studies on Europa. SpaceX is almost entirely focused on getting humans into space - which is great - but NASA's work is not to be discounted.
- porphyra 2y agoThe Europa Clipper is really cool. I think the Cassini Huygens that launched in 1997 has greater mass though. SpaceX isn't entirely focused on getting humans to space since they launch the vast majority of satellites thanks to great innovations in reducing the cost of launches, such as reusable rockets. But there are some competitor launch vehicles coming soon that could be interesting as well.
- n4r9 2y agoEuropa Clipper is 6.1T whilst Huygens was 5.6T: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_heaviest_spacecraft https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_heaviest_spacecraft . Also worth mentioning that Jupiter is much further away on average.
- porphyra 2y agoI got my numbers mixed up --- you're right, the Europa Clipper is bigger by all metrics.
- 93po 2y agoNASA didn't launch it? it was on a falcon heavy
- somenameforme 2y agoNASA built the probe, but SpaceX launched it. [1] I don't think you were suggesting otherwise, but somebody who did not know as much would probably misunderstand what you're saying. [1] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europa_Clipper#Launch_2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europa_Clipper#Launch_2
- n4r9 2y agoThanks, you're right I didn't mean to suggest otherwise.