White House Requests $30 Million For Europa Mission

[FLPanhandle]

http://www.iflscience.com/space/white-house-requests-30-million-europa-mission

?itok=xp5DLy5U

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden held a press conference at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday to discuss the details of President Barack Obama’s budget request for fiscal year 2016, which begins on October 1st. Obama is requesting $18.5 billion for NASA, up from $18 billion for FY 2015. The budget includes $30 million to develop a mission to Europa; one of Jupiter’s largest moons and one the best prospects for life in the solar system outside of Earth. The budget assumes the mission would launch in the early to mid-2020s.

“Looking to the future, we’re planning a mission to explore Jupiter’s fascinating moon Europa, selecting instruments this spring and moving toward the next phase of our work,” Administrator Bolden said at the conference.

Europa is the sixth largest moon in the solar system, with a mean radius roughly 90% of Earth’s moon. There are tectonic plates on the moon, just like on Earth. It is believed to have a vast ocean beneath its icy surface, which could contain the chemical compounds essential for life. Europa was once thought to have geysers shooting out from the ice, which would make it much easier to analyze the water, though they haven’t been located in months.



This is great. US science and engineering jobs, a chance to explore our solar system, and maybe non-terristerial life? Imagine the meltdown from the religious of most faiths if they find life on Europa. The entertainment factor alone is worth it.