NASA - Europa Clipper updates and discussion

[ugordan]

The Europa Clipper launch has three S2 burns (ascent, parking orbit insertion, and Earth departure burn), so ostensibly the same problem could surface in the later burns the Clipper launch performs.

Two burns, not three. The parking orbit one and the Earth escape injection one.

[Blackstar]

One benefit of high flight rates is a tremendous amount of performance data, plus a lot of confidence in the design. That enables faster return to flight for launch vehicles.

These problems, however, raise questions about quality and safety assurance--why are they having problems now for a proven design? And why are they not catching the problems?

[ugordan]

^ this.

I can only hope that the NASA LSP people were tracking the booster all the way through manufacture and testing. Having this anomaly on a CREWED launch certainly does not help ease my (already high) paranoia for Clipper.

[Blackstar]

I can only hope that the NASA LSP people were tracking the booster all the way through manufacture and testing. Having this anomaly on a CREWED launch certainly does not help ease my (already high) paranoia for Clipper.

So that's a really interesting question--NASA pays more than commercial customers, but what do they get with that higher price? I think that one thing they get is a greater commitment to a specific launch date. But do they get more insight into the vehicle construction and testing?

[Targeteer]

Ground terminal 53 in Madrid is doing Europa Clipper testing

[Jim]

I can only hope that the NASA LSP people were tracking the booster all the way through manufacture and testing. Having this anomaly on a CREWED launch certainly does not help ease my (already high) paranoia for Clipper.

So that's a really interesting question--NASA pays more than commercial customers, but what do they get with that higher price? I think that one thing they get is a greater commitment to a specific launch date. But do they get more insight into the vehicle construction and testing?

yes

[redliox]

'Clipper is podded up in the nosecone now.

https://x.com/NASA_LSP/status/1842200426474619276

[redliox]

Monday the 14th looking promising…

…also I’m here in Florida waiting 😜🪐

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/nasajpl/status/1845337995836260510

It's almost time to launch to Europa 🚀

What's so intriguing about this moon of Jupiter? Tune into the science telecon to hear members of the @EuropaClipper science team explain what we know – and what we hope to learn – about this ocean world.

[redliox]

A distant view while it’s still earthbound.

[Blackstar]

Well there it is. Pretty cool.

[Blackstar]

Quick interview with former congressman Culberson. He deserves a lot of the credit for making the Clipper mission happen.

He also says that had he remained in power, he would have pushed for a Europa Lander mission, along with Mars sample return. If so, the planetary budget would be huge right now.

And he says that he wanted Clipper on SLS in order to secure Senator Shelby's support for the program. That's basic Washington politics.


Update: Screenshot from a commercial by Culberson's opponent in 2018 showing the argument used against him.

[deadman1204]

Anyone have any news on the mission since the webcast ended?
I saw they had issues with the prop system purging (both sides failed to purge), but it did the sunward roll anyways.

[dsmillman]

From the Europa Clipper Blog:

Solar Arrays on NASA’s Europa Clipper Fully Deployed in Space

Mission controllers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California have confirmed that the two solar arrays flanking the main body of the Europa Clipper spacecraft have fully unfolded. This means that the spacecraft now has a reliable source of power for the rest of its journey to Jupiter and tour of the Jovian system.

The process began with the cutting of hold-downs keeping the solar arrays folded against the sides of the spacecraft and then the unfolding of one “wing” at a time. With each wing measuring 46 ˝-feet (14 meters) long, Europa Clipper’s solar arrays are the biggest NASA has ever developed for a planetary mission.

[theinternetftw]

From the Europa Clipper Blog:

Solar Arrays on NASA’s Europa Clipper Fully Deployed in Space

[snip]

For future reference, here's a link to the above-mentioned blog:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/europaclipper/

[Blackstar]

Anyone have any news on the mission since the webcast ended?
I saw they had issues with the prop system purging (both sides failed to purge), but it did the sunward roll anyways.

I just rewatched that part and what the narrator said was that because it was doing its roll, that indicated that the prop system was fine.

Maybe we'll get clarification if there was any kind of issue.

[Don2]

Yay, on the way to the Jupiter system! Wonderful day for NASA and SpaceX!!

[Targeteer]

Canberra terminals 34 and 36 receiving signals

Just a little close to the horizon.  Now having Goldstone active as well makes sense. https://twitter.com/CanberraDSN/status/1845878312859844718/photo/1

[catdlr]

video

https://twitter.com/amsatdl/status/1846107007834632264

seeing strong fading on #EuropaClipper with ~60 minutes cycle between maxima and minima, in sync with DSN signal strength. Assuming @EuropaClipper is rotating for thermal testing, temperature management, calibration or other good reasons.

[ugordan]

So no post-launch press conference whatsoever. For a multibillion dollar flagship mission. Jesus, even ESA held a presser after launch of its much cheaper Hera spacecraft and I used to think they didn't know how to communicate to taxpayers.

What's the health of the spacecraft? Was it sent on a good trajectory? Nothing. All we get is a blog post saying the solar panels have deployed.