Is finding extraterrestrial life close? NASA: A little goes a long way

Europa Clipper is a NASA mission that may prove successful A breakthrough in the search for signs of life outside our planet. A special probe aims to explore Jupiter's icy moon Europa. There is an ocean beneath its thick layer of ice, and perhaps conditions suitable for simple organisms exist.

The Europa Clipper probe is scheduled to fly over Jupiter's moon during the mission, but it will not have tools that allow it to drill through the ice crust. despite this NASA said the spacecraft may be able to detect signs of life anyway. How is this possible?

NASA says there are signs of possible life on this moon It can be detected in just one grain of ice. But first, it must be thrown toward the next probe.

Scientists have discovered this Based on research conducted on SUDA tool, where, among other things, the Sphingopyxis bacterium from Alaska. Europa has geysers that spew material out of space, and if the spacecraft is in the right place, it may actually be able to pick up chunks of ice that can then be analysed.

The Europa Clipper is scheduled to fly into space later this year. NASA is planning to launch a probe In October 2024. Then she will begin her long journey to her destination It will only be achieved in 2030.

NASA plans to make about 50 flights over the moon. During it, Europa Clipper will approach the surface to a distance of up to 25 km. During this time, the facility will be closely examined, including its thick crust of ice.

Europa is not the only moon of this type in the solar system. It's similar EnceladusWhich is located next to Saturn. In 2006, the Cassini probe detected plumes of water vapor seeping through cracks in the ice crust on the surface. Scientists believe that life can also exist in such conditions.

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