NASA’s Clipper Mission to Jupiter’s Europa: Unveiling the Intriguing Secrets
In a remarkable display of art and science, NASA has revealed the design of the message that will be sent to Jupiter’s moon Europa through the Europa Clipper mission. This message, in the form of a triangular metal plate, pays homage to the connection between Earth and Europa, particularly in regards to the investigation of Europa’s ocean.
The metal plate, made of tantalum and measuring 7 by 11 inches, resembles an envelope that is folded in half. It will seal an opening in the vault on NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft. The exterior panel of the plate, facing towards outer space, features artwork symbolizing water. Linguists gathered audio recordings of the word “water” in 103 languages, which were then transformed into waveforms and engraved onto the plate. The artwork also includes a representation of the American Sign Language sign for “water.” This imagery serves as a reminder of the presence of an ocean beneath Europa’s icy surface, an ocean that holds over twice the volume of water found in all of Earth’s oceans combined.
The Europa Clipper’s plate also incorporates other elements to convey its message. One such element is an etching of the handwritten poem “In Praise of Mystery: A Poem for Europa” by U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón. This poem captures the essence of the mission and its exploration of the unknown. Additionally, a silicon microchip adorned with over 2.6 million names contributed by the public takes a prominent position on the plate. This microchip represents a nod to NASA’s “Message in a Bottle” initiative, which allowed the public to submit their names for inclusion on the spacecraft.
The plate also features the Drake equation, engraved on its inner side. This mathematical equation, formulated by astronomer Frank Drake, estimates the likelihood of discovering advanced civilizations beyond Earth. Its inclusion underscores the mission’s objective of searching for habitable conditions on Europa and the potential for finding signs of life.
Another key element on the plate is a portrait of Ron Greeley, a pioneer in the field of planetary science and one of the founders of the discipline. Greeley’s visionary initiatives from two decades ago laid the groundwork for the Europa Clipper project, making him a fitting symbol to include on the plate.
Lastly, the inner side of the plate incorporates artistic representations of radio frequencies feasible for interstellar communication. These frequencies align with the radio waves emitted by water’s molecular components in space, known as the “water hole.” This symbolism reflects humanity’s active use of radio waves to scan for messages from the universe.
The Europa Clipper mission aims to provide a cohesive vision and foster a sense of unity. According to NASA, the content and design of the plate combine the best humanity has to offer across science, technology, education, art, and math. The message of connection through water, essential for all forms of life, perfectly illustrates Earth’s tie to this mysterious ocean world that we are embarking on exploring.
The assembly of the Europa Clipper spacecraft is currently being completed at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Once finished, the spacecraft will be transported to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for its scheduled launch in October. As we eagerly anticipate this mission, we can marvel at the profound symbolism embedded within the metal plate that will journey to Europa, carrying humanity’s hopes and dreams of uncovering its intriguing secrets.
