Europa or Bust Scientists have pestered NASA for decades to launch a mission to explore Europa up close and personal, only to have their robot-infused dreams cut from the budget. Shown here is an early concept for JIMO, the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter, which was canceled in 2005 in favor of manned spaceflight efforts. Credit: NASA/JPL
Whizzing around Jupiter is the ice-encrusted moon Europa, one of the four largest Jovian satellites first spied by Galileo around 1610. It wasn't until the 20th century, however, that scientists began to understand that an ocean exists under the moon's surface. In this Wide Angle, we give you the lowdown on our best knowledge about Europa and why scientists are itching to get under its icy skin.
Discuss the mysteries of Jupiter's moon Europa at the Space Disco Blog. Got something to say? E-mail your questions, comments or concerns to discoveryspace@discovery.com. |
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