Europa Clipper

https://twitter.com/x/status/1844025322909335862
View: https://twitter.com/nasa_lsp/status/1844025322909335862


The encapsulated #EuropaClipper spacecraft was transported to the SpaceX hangar at Launch Complex 39A on Friday, Oct 4. Teams secured the spacecraft in the hangar and @NASAKennedy began hurricane preparations on Sunday, Oct 6.

Hurricane #Milton is heading east through the Gulf of Mexico, towards Florida.

“The safety of launch team personnel is our highest priority, and all precautions will be taken to protect the Europa Clipper spacecraft” – Tim Dunn, LSP senior launch director for Europa Clipper
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https://twitter.com/x/status/1844496905814016304
View: https://twitter.com/NASAKennedy/status/1844496905814016304

Kennedy's Ride Out Team is conducting an initial assessment of the center. The majority of the impacts observed at this time are minor damage to doors, traffic lights, awnings, and small trailers.

The Damage Assessment and Recovery Team, or DART, will conduct a comprehensive assessment of the center prior to determining conditions are safe for employees to return on-site.
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https://twitter.com/x/status/1844493300281246049
View: https://twitter.com/LaurieofMars/status/1844493300281246049


See the latest @NASA blog for an update on activities at @NASAKennedy post #HurricaneMilton. Need to make sure we are taking our time & that all is safe to go, so we are working toward a @EuropaClipper launch no earlier than Sunday Oct. 13 at 12:12 PM. ️https://blogs.nasa.gov/europaclipper/
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L-2 weather forecast. 70% 'Go' for October 13. 80% 'Go' for October 14. 90% 'Go' for October 13. Solar Activity risk is Moderate for October 13 and Low-Moderate for October 14-15. All other Additional Risk Criteria are Low.
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NASA, SpaceX Targeting NET Oct. 14 for Europa Clipper Launch
Caption: Workers transport NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft from the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility to the SpaceX hangar at Launch Complex 39A on the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 4, 2024.

NASA and SpaceX are now targeting no earlier than Monday, Oct. 14, for the launch of Europa Clipper. Following Hurricane Milton, teams are continuing to do checkouts to ensure flight readiness.

Author Laura Aguiar
Posted on October 11, 2024
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This particular Falcon Heavy really maxed out its fuel ..... I have never seen one that burn for such long duration for its boosters and core ..... and without landing legs as extra mass, I can only imagine the velocity the payload can achieve ......
 
Might that set up allowed for an even heavier probe had it used JUICE style gravity assists?
 
I just checked Europa Clipper and JUICE Wikipedia pages. Never realized before they will work together, it's a massive onslaught on Jupiter's moons ! 2032 in particular will be thrilling.
 
Looking forward to both probes arriving at Jupiter, 2032 will be rather exciting Archibald. Both probes complimenting each other.
 
It’s all gone a bit quiet on the Europa Clipper front. There’s been no more info on the red flags they were getting on its propulsion system, whether these have been resolved or not. We are left with a confusing audio that commissioning of the prop system may have been off nominal.

The longer this goes without some news, the more I suspect something isn't right with the early ops phase of the mission.

Compare that to all the info we’ve had about Hera post launch from ESA and they aren’t always the most communicative.
 
Though it’s downlinking on DSN that doesn’t mean much with solar panels the size it has as they wouldn’t need to be all that optimally aligned this close to Earth.
 
Europa Clipper has put out a couple of Tweets now which is a more positive sign. Hopefully NASA will actually say something soon.
 
I was getting worried about Europa Clipper Flyaway, but since it is sending Tweets then everything must be okay with it.
 

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