The highly anticipated launch of NASA’s Europa Clipper mission, set for Thursday, has been called off due to the approaching Hurricane Milton. The storm, currently heading eastward towards Florida, has forced NASA and SpaceX to postpone the launch from the Kennedy Space Center.
In a statement released on Sunday, NASA explained that once the storm passes, teams will assess the safety of the launch facilities before resuming operations. Meanwhile, the spacecraft has been secured within SpaceX’s hangar at Kennedy Space Center.
The postponement doesn’t mean the mission is off the table, however. SpaceX has a launch window with daily opportunities extending until October 30th. Ideally, the rocket will launch next weekend or early next week, but the possibility of a launch closer to the end of the month remains.
The Europa Clipper mission is a critical step in our understanding of the Jovian moon Europa. Upon arriving in 2030, the spacecraft will study the icy world, aiming to determine if its subsurface ocean could potentially support life.
The mission will be launched on a powerful Falcon Heavy rocket, making only its 11th flight. Equipped with multiple cameras, the launch will offer spectacular views of the rocket’s ascent.
The Falcon Heavy utilizes three Falcon 9 rockets, boasting a total of 27 Merlin engines that generate over 5 million pounds of thrust at liftoff. This equates to the power of roughly eighteen Boeing 747 aircraft! The Heavy is currently one of the most powerful operational rockets, capable of lifting nearly 64 metric tons to orbit.
SpaceX is also developing an even more powerful rocket, the Starship, capable of generating a colossal 17 million pounds of thrust at launch. SpaceX is currently awaiting permission from the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct the fifth test flight of the Starship, with a launch potentially happening in late November.
