NASA’s Europa Clipper Spacecraft Will Scour Jupiter Moon for Ingredients for Life

An illustration shows the Europa Clipper spacecraft over the moon Europa with Jupiter at background (L). NASA/JPL-Caltech via AP

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—A NASA spacecraft is ready to set sail for Jupiter and its moon Europa, one of the best bets for finding life beyond Earth.

Europa Clipper will peer beneath the moon’s icy crust where an ocean is thought to be sloshing fairly close to the surface. It won’t search for life, but rather determine whether conditions there could support it. Another mission would be needed to flush out any microorganisms lurking there.