NASA’s planned Europa Clipper mission to study Jupiter’s moon Europa is facing an unexpected problem. The $4.25 billion spacecraft, scheduled to launch in October, is at risk from transistors that have lower-than-expected radiation resistance. This critical situation creates major uncertainties about the mission.
Radiation hazard posed by NASA Europa mission
In May, NASA discovered that some transistors used on the Europa Clipper were failing at lower-than-expected radiation doses, a situation that deeply concerned the mission team. The region where Jupiter’s moons are located has some of the harshest radiation environments in the Solar System, so the durability of the transistors is critical to the success of the mission.
NASA is evaluating how to maximize the lifespan of these transistors at Jupiter. However, launching the rover in October before this issue is resolved poses a significant risk. The mission team aims to complete its analysis of the issue by the end of July.
NASA’s current plan is to launch Europa Clipper in October, using a Mars-Earth orbiter to reach the Jupiter system in 2030. However, if transistors need to be replaced, that launch date could be pushed back. Launch opportunities in 2025 or 2026 would introduce additional delays and costs. A one-year delay would add several hundred million dollars to NASA’s budget.
NASA project manager Jordan Evans said the issue has been keeping him up at night. The radiation resistance of these transistors, known as MOSFETs, is a major pre-launch concern. “The uncertainty around these transistors is the biggest concern for me right now,” Evans said in June.
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NASA has been struggling to cope with the problems that have emerged in recent months in such critical missions. Whether or not to launch Europa Clipper carries great risk. If the spacecraft malfunctions after launch and reaches Jupiter, it will be recorded as a major failure. For this reason, NASA engineers are reluctant to make a launch decision without being sure about the reliability of the current system.
NASA’s Europa mission is of great importance to the scientific community, but such technological challenges highlight how complex and unpredictable space missions can be. The future of NASA’s Europa mission will depend on whether this critical issue can be solved.