Exploring the Europa Mission

Olwethu, a 16-year-old from South Africa, inquires about the Europa mission's future plans and instruments. The mission, currently in phase B, aims to explore Europa, a moon of Jupiter, for signs of life. John Culberson, a U.S. congressman, supports the mission, advocating for a lander to drill through Europa's ice. The mission faces political and financial challenges, but efforts continue to advance the project.

Who is Olwethu and what is her question about?

• A 16-year-old from South Africa asking about the Europa mission.

• A congressman supporting the Europa mission.

• A NASA engineer designing the lander.

• A scientist working on the Europa mission.

What phase is the Europa mission currently in?

• Phase D

• Phase B

• Phase A

• Phase C

What is a major challenge of sending a spacecraft to Europa?

• Building a spacecraft that can withstand Jupiter's gravity.

• Finding enough fuel for the journey.

• Avoiding collision with Europa while entering orbit.

• Communicating with Earth from Europa.

Who is John Culberson and what is his role in the Europa mission?

• A NASA scientist leading the mission.

• A South African student interested in space.

• A congressman advocating for the mission.

• A European Space Agency official.

What personal reason does John Culberson have for supporting the Europa mission?

• He hopes his daughter will know if there's life on Europa.

• He believes Europa can be colonized.

• He wants to find new resources on Europa.

• He wants to win a Nobel Prize.

What is a key feature of the proposed lander for Europa?

• It will have insect-like legs and a hot drill.

• It will have wheels for mobility.

• It will be solar-powered.

• It will be manned by astronauts.

How deep is the ice that the lander is expected to drill through on Europa?

• 5 km

• 10 km

• 20 km

• 30 km

What is a potential drawback of the Europa mission according to the discussion?

• Insufficient data about Europa's surface.

• Lack of scientific interest.

• High cost leading to possible funding cuts.

• Technical challenges in building the spacecraft.

What is the main goal of the proposed lander on Europa?

• To collect rock samples.

• To search for signs of life below the surface.

• To map the surface of Europa.

• To establish a communication base.

What is the hope expressed at the end of the discussion?

• That the mission will be completed under budget.

• That the mission will be led by a new space agency.

• That the mission will discover new minerals.

• That the mission will happen within our lifetime.