SpaceX fuels Falcon Heavy for Europa Clipper launch

SpaceX has begun fueling the first core stage and side boosters of its Falcon Heavy rocket with the RP-1 fuel (a rocket-grade kerosene) and liquid oxygen needed for today’s launch.

If SpaceX needs to delay today’s launch for some reason while liquid oxygen loading is underway, the next opportunity will now be 48 hours later on Wednesday, as the time is needed to collect more liquid oxygen, NASA says. NASA and SpaceX have until November 6th to launch Europa Clipper to Jupiter.

SpaceX “GO” for refueling for Europa Clipper launch

NASA Launch Director Tim Dunn interviewed the NASA and SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch teams for today’s Europa Clipper launch to ensure the rocket is ready to refuel. All systems appear to be operational.

“We have beautiful weather, a beautiful spaceship and a great rocket,” Dunn said at the start of the survey, checking with air traffic controllers who were all “ready to go.” “The NASA Europa Clipper team is ready for propellant and launch.”

Today’s launch of the Europa Clipper is scheduled for 12:06 p.m. EDT (1606 GMT). According to NASA, there is a 95 percent chance of good weather at launch time.

NASA Europa Clipper live stream live

NASA’s Europa Clipper launch live stream is underway as SpaceX and NASA approach the T-1 hour mark for launch scheduled for 12:06 p.m. EDT (1606 GMT) today.

You can watch the launch live in the window above and on Space.com, but also directly from NASA and their YouTube page.

“We think Europa has been simmering for the last 4 billion years, so it’s a great place to see if it was habitable,” said Jenny Kampmeir, Europa Clipper scientific systems engineer at NASA , at the beginning of the webcast.

Start day for Europa Clipper

It’s launch day for NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft!

The $5 billion probe is on track to launch toward Jupiter today. October 14, 12:06 p.m. EDT (1606 GMT) from NASA Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center. The journey is provided by a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket with its triple booster first stage.

You can watch the start of the Europa Clipper live online from 7:00 p.m 11:00 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT)but if you can’t wait that long to get your Europe update, you’ve come to the right place.

From “2010: The Year We Make Contact” to “Europa Report,” don’t miss our list of four must-watch Jupiter films to prepare for “Europa Clipper,” from author Jeff Spry let. You may not agree with some of the choices, but I can assure you that they are all fun movie rides (especially Europa Report, that’s great!).

Europa Clipper “GO” at the start

NASA and SpaceX are both poised to launch the Europa Clipper spacecraft toward Jupiter’s moon Europa on Monday, October 14, 2024, after days of delays caused by the impact of Hurricane Milton at its launch site in Florida.

Europa Clipper, a $5 billion flagship mission to an icy moon of Jupiter, is currently scheduled to lift off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:06 p.m. EDT (1606 GMT) during a tiny 15-second launch window. The chance of good weather at launch time is 95%, Space Force officials said. Read our full guide on when and how to watch the Europa Clipper launch.

NASA had originally hoped to launch Europa Clipper on October 10, but along with SpaceX – which will launch the probe on a Falcon Heavy rocket – decided last week to postpone the launch as Hurricane Milton approached. The space center reopened for operations on Saturday (October 12) and the Falcon Heavy carrying the probe returned to the launch pad on Sunday.

Europa Clipper is scheduled to reach the Jupiter system in April 2030 and spend four years flying close to Europa, one of the most promising places in our solar system for the search for life beyond Earth. Europe’s dominant feature is its vast salt ocean, which lies beneath a thick crust of ice that sometimes escapes through huge plumes of water.

NASA scientists will use Europa Clipper’s instruments to better understand how habitable Europa might be.

Here we present the latest Europa Clipper launch and mission updates during its long journey to Jupiter. Check back on October 14th for live coverage of the launch!