Meet Europa Clipper’s Solar Array ‘Wings’

NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft is getting ready for launch, and its massive solar arrays were recently installed. These “wings” are so large because Jupiter receives only 3% to 4% of the sunlight Earth gets, and the arrays need to be able to collect enough sunlight to power the spacecraft through its mission.

With the arrays deployed, the spacecraft spans more than 100 feet (30.5 meters), which is nearly the distance from the Statue of Liberty’s toes to her head. The arrays will help the spacecraft make its 1.8 billion-mile (2.6 billion-kilometer) journey to Jupiter and power science instruments, electronics, heaters, and other subsystems during the years orbiting Jupiter and flying by the moon Europa. They also support six antennas that stick out perpendicularly from the panels. These antennas are for the REASON (Radar for Europa Assessment and Sounding: Ocean to Near-surface) instrument, which will probe for water within and beneath Europa’s ice.

Both wings were installed at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida in collaboration with the John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory and Airbus Netherlands. The solar arrays are so large only one can be installed and tested at a time. Both will be folded and stowed for launch, then will fully deploy in space.

Scientists believe the moon Europa has an ocean under its icy crust that may have conditions suitable for supporting life. Europa Clipper is expected to launch in October 2024 from Kennedy Space Center and arrive in the Jovian system in 2030.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/KSC/APL/Airbus

[cspahn]

To everyone who worked on Europa clipper, THANK YOU

[rkinnett]

TJ Lee is awesome. It was great working with him!

[peterkorobov]

Слава Богу. Хоть кто-то серьезным делом занят.

[ThatOpalGuy]

good speed<EC. thanks to all those who work towards completion and launch. GO SCIENCE!

[RobinsonSue]

I viewed this video long after the launch, Europa Clipper is on her way! I wonder what new discoveries await us.

[waynesworldofsci-tech]

I have questions — yeah, that’s me always wanting more!

How much power does the spacecraft need to operate?

How much power are the solar panels projected to produce in the operating area?

How long before solar panel degradation renders the spacecraft non-functional?

Does the spacecraft have more fuel than is projected required for the planned mission, in other words if the panels are able to keep supplying sufficient power for operations could the mission be extended?

[newhorizons]

where will its pass over of earth be visible?

[electricminecrafter]

why not just use a (or several) RTG(s) like y'all normally do for missions far away from the sun? Is the mass/power ratio for those panels lower or higher that that of an RTG?

[llaus]

An interesting video, thanks. it might be an engineering feat to provide measurements in metric to cater for the world-wide audience you have?

[edfort]

For the sake of international audiences, it would be nice if you would mention temps at least in Kelvin too, if not in Celsius. Just a small thought.

[TWOCOWS]

Instead of these nostalgic gadgets (solar sail and things), a tiny nuclear ion generator would provide space craft with 50-75 years of ample electricty (as it does for Voyeger I and II that are now actually in the interstellar space, having left the Solar System...)

[SomeRandomGuy_id]

I truly hope Jupiter wouldn't 'get ignited' so I can sleep at night.

[SpikaLim]

Miles? Fahrenheit? Seriously? This is science and in science you use the metric system. But hey, freedom units! Fun fact: It’s approximately 59 million Spindles to Jupiter. Spindle is a unit of length in the imperial system of measurements. Have a nice day! 😊

[stargalacticfederation]

Why are you using Solar that you can use Nuclear Power like you did with Voyager 1 and 2. 🤔

[A-ZEE_OFFICIAL]

To be honest, my biggest dream is to get a NASA 37% efficient solar panel of 1 square meter and mount it on my rooftop. I will do its active cooling, add 4 side mirrors, and try to generate a record-breaking 1kw in 1 square meter. I don't know when my channel will grow, so I will buy a 37% efficient solar panel.😞

[grip]

SLOW TECHNOLOGY FAR FRM ANTI GRAVITY PROPULSION 🛸

[myvideos]

2030 Is far, but in the future SLS could reach Jupiter in 24 months, right?

[marygreen]

YOU NOTICE THAT EVERY PROBE SENT IS TO LOOK FOR LIFE, , , IF I HAD A DOLLAR EVERY TIME TIME THEY SAY THAT, , , , WASTE OF TAX in america where they just do what they wan't with our tax dollars

[jansenart]

"Wings" (fixed ones anyway) are oriented flat relative to the direction of travel.

These are perpendicularly aligned to the direction of travel (outward from Sol).

These are therefore "sails".

[slrt]

Or they could have used RTGs and made the whole thing simpler.