Watch as NASA’s Europa Clipper Flies by Mars Today on Its Exciting Journey to Jupiter’s Icy Moon!

Today, on March 1, NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft is making a significant flyby of Mars. It will glide just 550 miles (884 kilometers) above the surface of the Red Planet. This maneuver is part of a strategy to adjust its path on a long journey of 1.8 billion miles (2.9 billion kilometers) to Jupiter.

The spacecraft is headed for Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons. Europa has a thick layer of ice covering a large ocean underneath, which scientists believe could contain the necessary conditions for life. NASA’s $5.2 billion Europa Clipper mission is focused on gathering important data to explore whether Europa and similar ocean worlds might be habitable.

The Europa Clipper is a massive spacecraft. In fact, its size is comparable to a basketball court, making it the largest planetary spacecraft NASA has ever constructed. It is set to launch on October 14, 2024, from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The spacecraft was initially designed with some buffer space around Mars to avoid collisions during the weeks after launch.

Fortunately, the spacecraft has functioned perfectly. In November of last year, mission controllers guided Europa Clipper toward Mars. Then, in January and February, additional maneuvers set up today’s flyby. This method lets the spacecraft use Mars’ gravity to help it change direction without consuming extra fuel.

“It’s like playing billiards in space,” said Ben Bradley, a mission planner at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “We aim for just the right angle and timing to get to Jupiter and Europa.” Timing is essential to make the most of the solar system’s gravity.

The closest point to Mars will be reached at 12:57 p.m. EST (17:57 GMT), with the spacecraft moving at about 15.2 miles per second (24.5 kilometers per second). It will adjust its speed and path by using Mars’ gravity. After the flyby, it will continue at around 14 miles per second (22.5 kilometers per second).

This flyby is also a chance for the mission team to test some of the spacecraft’s scientific instruments. They plan to activate the thermal imager to capture colorful images of Mars.

Additionally, the radar instrument will undergo its first test. The radar antennas are so large that they couldn’t be fully tested on Earth, making this flyby crucial for ensuring everything works as it should.

“We come in very fast, and Mars’ gravity helps us change our course,” explained Brett Smith, a mission systems engineer. “We also exchange a bit of energy with the planet, allowing us to set a course that takes us back toward Earth.”

The spacecraft is expected to fly by Earth in December 2026, which will help define its path as it heads towards Jupiter. Scientists are excited about the arrival at the Jupiter system planned for April 2030. This mission could uncover details about Europa that might change our understanding of life beyond Earth.