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NASA Eyes Mission To Icy Jupiter Moon Europa To Gauge Habitability

38 points by rpm4321 14y ago

gnosis 14y ago
NASA had planned a joint mission[1] to Jupiter's moons (including Europa) with the European Space Agency, until NASA pulled out of the mission in 2011. Now it seems NASA wants to go to Europa again. I wonder what changed. [1] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europa_Jupiter_System_Mission https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europa_Jupiter_System_Mission
- ChuckMcM 14y ago
  Tempted to say they found an obelisk in orbit :-) but more seriously NASA says a lot of stuff around budget time, and in times of imminent fiscal cliffs where they don't see a lot of other targets standing on the field.
- troymc 14y ago
  Yep, and before that there was JIMO, the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter, which was to be powered by a nuclear fission reactor (not an RTG). It lost funding in 2005. ESA continues work on JUICE, the Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer. No doubt there are more I'm forgetting. JIMO: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jupiter_Icy_Moons_Orbiter https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jupiter_Icy_Moons_Orbiter JUICE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jupiter_Icy_Moon_Explorer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jupiter_Icy_Moon_Explorer
- cpleppert 14y ago
  Interesting that after canceling that joint mission Nasa then committed $1.5 billion for the curiosity based rover mission. It seems that it was mostly an excuse to keep JPL funded and this mission, which is similar to the proposed joint mission will be led by JPL as well.
idont 14y ago
Looks like NASA does not read Fitch and Moody's reports...
tunnuz 14y ago
Jokes about 2010: Odissey Two in three, two ... screw it! I'll be first! ALL THESE WORLDS ARE YOURS EXCEPT EUROPA ATTEMPT NO LANDING THERE
pixie_ 14y ago
Does anyone else think Nasa should be figuring out how to setup colonies on new worlds.. I mean the question of life on Mars (or anywhere else) is a good one, but we'll be able to figure all that out a lot easier if we're there in person. It's no going anywhere.

38 points by rpm4321 14y ago

NASA had planned a joint mission[1] to Jupiter's moons (including Europa) with the European Space Agency, until NASA pulled out of the mission in 2011. Now it seems NASA wants to go to Europa again. I wonder what changed. [1] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europa_Jupiter_System_Mission https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europa_Jupiter_System_Mission

ChuckMcM 14y ago
Tempted to say they found an obelisk in orbit :-) but more seriously NASA says a lot of stuff around budget time, and in times of imminent fiscal cliffs where they don't see a lot of other targets standing on the field.
troymc 14y ago
Yep, and before that there was JIMO, the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter, which was to be powered by a nuclear fission reactor (not an RTG). It lost funding in 2005. ESA continues work on JUICE, the Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer. No doubt there are more I'm forgetting. JIMO: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jupiter_Icy_Moons_Orbiter https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jupiter_Icy_Moons_Orbiter JUICE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jupiter_Icy_Moon_Explorer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jupiter_Icy_Moon_Explorer
cpleppert 14y ago
Interesting that after canceling that joint mission Nasa then committed $1.5 billion for the curiosity based rover mission. It seems that it was mostly an excuse to keep JPL funded and this mission, which is similar to the proposed joint mission will be led by JPL as well.

idont 14y ago

Looks like NASA does not read Fitch and Moody's reports...

tunnuz 14y ago

Jokes about 2010: Odissey Two in three, two ... screw it! I'll be first! ALL THESE WORLDS ARE YOURS EXCEPT EUROPA ATTEMPT NO LANDING THERE

pixie_ 14y ago

Does anyone else think Nasa should be figuring out how to setup colonies on new worlds.. I mean the question of life on Mars (or anywhere else) is a good one, but we'll be able to figure all that out a lot easier if we're there in person. It's no going anywhere.