Europa Clipper Launch Ascent Timeline

NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft will be launched on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This graphic shows the expected timeline of milestones immediately following liftoff if the mission launches at the beginning of its launch period on Oct. 10, 2024. The actual times of milestones will differ slightly depending on the launch day. Regardless of launch date within the launch period, the spacecraft's separation from the rocket is expected to occur a little over an hour after liftoff. Europa Clipper is bound for the Jupiter system, where it will study the gas giant's icy moon Europa. The mission's three main science objectives are to determine the thickness of the moon's icy shell and its interactions with the ocean below, to investigate its composition, and to characterize its geology. The mission's detailed exploration of Europa will help scientists better understand the astrobiological potential for habitable worlds beyond our planet. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA26437