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The Wide Angle: Mission to Europa?

Discovery Space Special Feature

Europa or Bust

europa jupiter nasa mission ice water ocean life

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.

News: Europa Vs. Titan: NASA Narrows Quest for Life
Europa holds promise for NASA's search for life off-Earth, but Saturn's chilly moon Titan is also a contender for a new mission.
Slide Show: Moons of Jupiter
HowStuffWorks.com takes you on a journey through the moon-filled backyard of the solar system's biggest, baddest planet.
Video: Top 5 Reasons Europa Rocks
Mysteries abound on a bizarre moon orbiting Jupiter. James Williams counts down 5 reasons we're big fans of icy Europa.
Blog: Europa or Bust: Next Potential Harbor For Life
'Cosmic' Ray Villard wonders: What will the first mission to Europa do?
IM Interview: Europa & Enceladus Might Harbor Oceans With Tides, Life
How thin is Europa's icy crust, and does its subsurface ocean have tides? We chat with Galileo spacecraft scientist Richard Greenberg.

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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The Wide Angle: Mission to Europa?

Europa or Bust

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