this post was submitted on 14 Oct 2024
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Well folks, it's finally time to launch Europa Clipper!

| Scheduled for (UTC) | 2024-10-14 16:06 | |


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| | Scheduled for (local) | 2024-10-14 12:06 (EDT) | | Launch site | LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida. | | Launch vehicle | Falcon Heavy | | Center | 1090-1 (expendable) | | Booster | 1064-6 (expendable) | | Booster | 1065-6 (expendable) | | Customer | NASA | | Payload | Europa Clipper | | Mission success criteria | Successful deployment of payload into Heliocentric Orbit |

Side boosters previously supported the following missions: USSF-44, USSF-67, Jupiter 3, Psyche, USSF-52.

Livestreams

| Stream | Link | |


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| | NASA | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQToTWKwtuw | | Space Affairs | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-n8vgZ2qSl0 | | Spaceflight Now | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZjszhRVo9s | | NASASpaceflight | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JUn8LmGYEA | | The Launch Pad | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHBlz2VtS30 | | Everyday Astronaut | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAixoyE78rE | | SpaceX | | | The Space Devs | |

Stats

Sourced from NextSpaceflight and r/SpaceX:

☑️ 2nd Falcon Heavy launch this year, 11th overall

☑️ 18th launch from LC-39A this year

☑️ 34 days, 6:42:11 turnaround for this pad

☑️ 96th SpaceX launch this year, 396th overall (excluding Starship tests)

☑️ 99th SpaceX launch this year, 411th overall (including Starship tests)

☑️ 27th consecutive successful Falcon 9 / Heavy launch (if successful)

Payload info: Europa Clipper

NextSpaceflight:

Europa Clipper will conduct a detailed survey of Europa and use a sophisticated suite of science instruments to investigate whether the icy moon has conditions suitable for life. Key mission objectives are to produce high-resolution images of Europa's surface, determine its composition, look for signs of recent or ongoing geological activity, measure the thickness of the moon’s icy shell, search for subsurface lakes, and determine the depth and salinity of Europa's ocean.

Resources and articles:

Please post small launch updates, discussions, and questions here! Also feel free to leave feedback or suggestions for the mod team.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Acquisition of signal from Europa Clipper confirmed!

Next up, Mars gravity assist in 2025 February, Earth gravity assist in 2026 December, and Jupiter orbit insertion in 2030 April.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago

Did not enjoy the wait for AOS!

May Clipper have a boring journey.