The Exotic Europa

Today we shall journey to a strange world named Europa, which is a moon of Jupiter. Jupiter according to Universe Today, “Was named after the King of the Roman God’s, who was also known as the God of the Sky, as well as the God of Thunder.”

In the following article, I shall talk about the recent discoveries involving Europa, the Jovian system, and shall talk about the history of Nasa space exploration missions that involved Europa or the Jovian system in the past. I will also discuss what Europa is made of, how Europa works, and what scientists have recently learned about this world.

The human race is a race of explorers, it is only natural for us to see something in space and think, “We have to go there and explore it.” Therefore, ever since the Space Race first began we have pushed deeper into space. We have, “Boldly gone where no man has gone before.”

Some of the past Nasa missions to Jupiter, include Voyager I, which when it flew by Jupiter took photos of the Jovian system and according to N.A.S.A, one of its major discoveries was, “Active volcanoes on the moon IO.”

The Hubble Space telescope has also taken photos of the Jupiter system.

As a result of Hubble’s findings many people, including myself, believe this moon to be one of the most exotic of Jupiter’s moons, because it is covered with ice, and has long cracks on it visible from Earth through a telescope. As well as the fact that N.A.S.A, and J.P.L. scientists have theorized that there is a high probability that a liquid ocean of salt water exists underneath Europa's icy surface. However, that is just a theory as this ocean could turn out to be methane or some other form of liquid. Even if Europa’s ocean is methane, which is natural gas, it would still be a huge discovery. Probably even better than salt water, because we would have a never ending supply of natural gas. We would just have to develop the spacecraft needed to go there and mine it.

Of course that would be impossible with today’s technology and economy. As we would have to first build a space elevator into space, then lift up heavy star ship components. Then build a huge freighter ship in a shipyard in space, and on top of that we would need new propulsion technology. Something that would allow us to jump threw space, engage warp engines, or ion engines as in Star wars. So we could go there quickly and mine the world. Whether it be Europa or some other terrestrial body, such as an asteroid. So as you can see we are a long way from being able to travel through space as in Star Trek or Star Wars.

One Nasa mission that was proposed for Europa, which unfortunately has been cancelled, probably over budgetary reasons is, according to Nasa called, “J.I.M.O.” or the “Jupiter icy moons orbiter,” if this mission or something similar to it ever got off the ground, then it would have orbited three of Jupiter’s moons, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. All three according to Nasa, “May have subsurface oceans, and possible ingredients for some sort of life.”

If this mission had not been cancelled, then it would have studied the Jovian system’s moons interior structure. As well as the current state of their surface, and what the nature of their subsurface oceans are; moreover, this mission would have also studied their interior ocean’s potential to sustain some sort of life. This mission would have also studied how the various components of the Jovian system operate.

Jupiter's moon Europa, has interesting features on its icy surface, which can give us hints as to what may lie underneath this icy surface, as you can see from the picture above. Therefore, there is a high probability that a liquid ocean of some kind lies underneath the exotic icy surface of Europa. These are the features that make Europa so fascinating to scientists, as well as amateur astronomers such as myself.

According to Nasa, as well as the J.P.L. (Nasa jet propulsion laboratory). Scientists, “Have theorized that there is possibly a liquid ocean of salt water underneath.” However, I believe this ocean could turn out to be methane or some other form of liquid. Nevertheless, it is still fascinating to think about the possibility of a liquid ocean of some sort under the crust.

If Europa’s ocean is salt water and not some other liquid, then if you compare Earths ocean to Europa’s, you will discover that it is possible that life could have evolved in Europa’s ocean. Since on Earth even in the most in-hospitable of environments in the deep oceans of Earth. There are still complex life forms that have somehow managed to evolve. As well as the fact that since live forms have evolved in some of the most in-hospitable places of the Earth's ocean, then it is possible for some sort of plant or deep sea animal life forms to exist in Europa’s ocean. Even if it is just bacterial life, that would still be an important discovery.

As stated Earlier I believe this moon, “Europa” to be one of the most exotic of Jupiter’s moons for the following reasons. It is covered with ice, and has long interesting cracks on its surface, which is visible from Earth through a telescope. As well as the possibility that a liquid ocean of salt water exists underneath the surface. If this is true than it is also highly probable that some sort of life could have developed, or evolved in this moons ocean.

Voyager I is probably one of the most famous spacecraft Nasa has ever launched, as it flew past Jupiter then went on to the outer planets, and today is about to enter Interstellar Space.

To quote Star Trek, “To boldly go where no man has gone before.” This is the calling of all explorers, and since the human race is a race of explorers, then one day we shall visit these strange worlds that exist out there in space, either threw manned or unmanned exploration.

References

N.A.S.A (National Aeronautical and Space Administration), http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/interstellar.html, 9/25/2011

N.A.S.A., http://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/features/20090218.html, 9/25/2011

N.A.S.A. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2011-041, 12/05/2011

Universe Today, http://www.universetoday.com/14479/how-did-jupiter-get-its-name/, 12/05/2011