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NASA and SpaceX postpone Europa Clipper launch due to Hurricane Milton

TH (according to VNA) October 8, 2024 20:45

NASA announced that it has postponed the Europa Clipper mission due to Hurricane Milton and will decide on a new launch date between now and November 6.

Tên lửa đẩy Atlas V mang theo tàu vũ trụ Starliner được đặt vào bệ phóng ở Trung tâm Vũ trụ Kennedy, bang Florida (Mỹ) ngày 5/5/2024. (Ảnh: AFP/TTXVN)
The Atlas V rocket carrying the Starliner spacecraft is placed on the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida (USA) on May 5, 2024.

The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced on October 7 that it would postpone the Europa Clipper mission to guard against the impact of Hurricane Milton.

Europa Clipper was originally scheduled to launch on October 10 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida (USA).

However, meteorologists predict Hurricane Milton will move east from the Gulf of Mexico, affecting the Space Coast.

The Cape Canaveral and Merritt Island areas on Florida's east coast are expected to see strong winds and heavy rain.

Faced with severe weather conditions, NASA and its partner, space exploration company SpaceX, moved the Europa Clipper spacecraft to SpaceX's warehouse at Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center for protection.

The center also began preparations for Hurricane Milton on October 6.

NASA will decide on the launch date of Europa Clipper again, between now and November 6.

The main goal of the Europa Clipper mission is to determine whether there is anything beneath the surface of Europa, Jupiter's icy moon, that could support life.

The Europa Clipper spacecraft is expected to make multiple close flybys of Europa, collecting detailed data to investigate the moon and find out if conditions suitable for life exist there.

TH (according to VNA)
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NASA and SpaceX postpone Europa Clipper launch due to Hurricane Milton