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# NASA Shifts from SLS to SpaceX for Europa Clipper Mission

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Chapter 1: The Europa Clipper Mission

NASA's Europa Clipper represents one of the agency's most ambitious initiatives for the upcoming decade. This spacecraft is designed to make multiple close encounters with Europa's uniquely marked surface, searching for evidence of its extensive subterranean oceans. However, the original plan to launch the Clipper using the Space Launch System (SLS) has been abandoned. Instead, NASA will utilize SpaceX's Falcon Heavy, following a proposal made earlier this year.

The launch is scheduled for October 2024, but the spacecraft's arrival at the Jovian moon will not occur until later in the decade. Upon arrival, it will embark on a series of sweeping flybys, equipped with nine instruments to analyze various aspects such as magnetic fields and thermal conditions. Europa is known to occasionally eject plumes of water vapor into space, and if the Clipper navigates through one, it could analyze the water's chemical makeup.

Initially, the Europa Clipper was set to use the SLS to journey to Jupiter. Although the SLS is intended for the Artemis lunar program, its development has faced numerous delays. The non-reusable SLS is also prohibitively expensive, adding over $2 billion to the mission's launch costs. Nevertheless, Congress prevented NASA from exploring alternative options, as components of the SLS are produced in various Congressional districts, leading to political maneuvering for increased SLS launches.

Europa Clipper mission overview

Section 1.1: A Change in Plans

In early 2021, Congress approved a new budget that permitted NASA to investigate alternative launch options for the Clipper, resulting in the decision to go with SpaceX. The Falcon Heavy has sufficient thrust to transport Europa Clipper effectively while significantly reducing costs. This rocket essentially combines three Falcon 9 rockets and has a proven flight history. There were concerns regarding Boeing (the primary contractor for the SLS) being able to prepare a core stage for the Clipper on time, given its simultaneous commitment to Artemis.

Subsection 1.1.1: Cost Considerations

Cost comparison between SLS and Falcon Heavy

Section 1.2: The Financial Benefits

Not only does the switch to SpaceX save money on the launch, but the version of the Clipper designed for SLS would have required expensive modifications. The SLS launches with the assistance of two large solid boosters, subjecting payloads to high "torsional load" due to vibrations. To ensure the Europa Clipper could withstand these forces, it would have necessitated redesigns costing approximately $1 billion. This financial burden, alongside the elevated rocket costs, has ultimately swayed Congress to reconsider its stance. Thus, this marks a significant victory for SpaceX.