Investigating Europa’s Habitability with Europa Clipper

The habitability of Europa is a property within a system, with many interdependent physical and chemical parameters among a number of processes, and of which no single measurement or investigation can fully characterize. Therefore, Europa must be investigated as an integrated system in order to understand the complete picture. To accomplish this, the Europa Clipper mission has four main mission objectives: (1) characterize the Ice Shell and Ocean: including their heterogeneity, properties, and the nature of surface–ice–ocean exchange; (2) characterize Europa’s Composition, identifying any non-ice materials on the surface and in the atmosphere, including any carbon-containing compounds; (3) characterize Europa’s Geology: including surface features and high-science-interest localities; and (4) assess any current or recent activity, by searching for evidence of thermal anomalies and plumes. Europa Clipper will also perform high resolution observations to provide reconnaissance for a future potential landed mission. Synthesizing the mission’s science measurements, as well as incorporating remote observations by Earth-based observatories, JWST, and other spacecraft, to constrain Europa’s habitability, is a complex task and is guided by the Habitability Assessment Board (HAB).