AstroTalk Episode July 26, 2018

Radiation Map of Europa. Extension for Juno Mission Orbiting Jupiter.

2:08pm - 2:58pm

Europa could be a promising place for life outside Earth. Problem is: Jupiter is pummeling Europa with radiation, so detecting possible life signs is nearly impossible because Jupiter's radiation bombards Europa, and any of the water that makes it to Europa's Surface. This material could be altered or destroyed by Jupiter's radiation. In planning for future missions to Europa, scientists are making maps of the radiation to learn where the rad is most intense, and least intense. NASA is planning to send a spacecraft, called Clipper, to Europa in 2022, but for now, Juno is mapping Europa. The Juno spacecraft's original plan was to make orbits of Jupiter every 14 days, but due to technical issues, it is now orbiting Jupiter (around the Pole) every 53 days.

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2018-170Surface