News NASA-ESA Announce Europa Mission -Search for Life on Jupiter's Water Worlds

[Turbinator]

...a NASA orbiter around Europa called the Jupiter Europa Orbiter, and an ESA orbiter around Ganymede called the Jupiter Ganymede Orbiter.

http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblo...jupiters-water-worlds-in-search-for-life.html



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This orbiter better be incredible...


I know it's wishful thinking but I want that ocean explored before I die. This orbiter is a good step in the right direction but it isn't going to confirm or deny life. I will now wait patiently for the next 10 years to see the high definition surface details of Europa. I will then wait an additional 10 to 15 years for a surface probe to collect samples. Then maybe 10 to 15 more years for a sub surface probe to swim through the ocean.


Frustrating and exciting at the same time.






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[Notebook]

Ia it confirmed? Here its being reported as one of the choices.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/jonathanamos/2011/02/european-space-prepares-to-mak.shtml

My favourite too!

N.

 

[GoForPDI]

I read it as NASA and ESA announcing their proposal, rather than announcing the mission.

 

[Victor_D]

I think the Saturn system mission should be given a priority over Jupiter. In an ideal world, I'd say let's do both, but if I had to choose, I'd go to Saturn. Titan is an incredibly interesting world and Enceladus' water is much more accessible than Europa's oceans. Due to the much better radiation conditions, the Saturn system offers better prospects for human colonization in the future.


It would be interesting, however, to send a lander to Europa. If we sampled ice from some of the younger surface regions, we might find frozen micro-organisms if they really exist in the oceans below. You can't do that from orbit.

 

[Notebook]

ESA has made available material from the conference on the missions:

http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=47796

N.

 

[Scruce]

Another for Saturn. Why do they need two though?