How to watch SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket launch NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft on October 10

NASA Launch of Europa Clipper – YouTube

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SpaceX will launch the long-awaited NASA Europa Clipper mission on Thursday (October 10), which will be available to watch live.

AND SpaceX A Falcon Heavy rocket is scheduled to lift off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida on Thursday at 12:31 EDT (16:31 GMT), kicking off the $5 billion Europa Clipper mission that will assess the habitability of Jupiter’s oceanic moon Europa . .

You can watch the launch – the tenth in the history of the mighty Falcon Heavy – live on Space.com, courtesy of NASA, or directly through the space agency. There are also several pre-launch activities; here’s a summary of the schedule.

October 8: Europa Clipper science briefing

On Tuesday (October 8) at 3:30 p.m. EST (1930 GMT), NASA will hold a briefing to discuss the science goals of the Europa Clipper project, which will reach Jupiter’s orbit in 2030 and explore Europa during dozens of close flybys.

The participants of the briefing are:

Gina DiBraccioActing Director, Planetary Science Division, NASA Headquarters
Robert PappalardoProject Scientist, Europa Clipper, NASA’s JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory).
Haje Korthdeputy project scientist, Europa Clipper, Applied Physics Laboratory (APL)
Cynthia PhillipsProject Staff Scientist, Europa Clipper, NASA JPL

The “NASA Social” panel, which will take place at KSC, will be broadcast on Wednesday (October 9) at 2 p.m. EDT (6 p.m. GMT). At such events, scientists, engineers and agency officials answer questions from the public. You can ask a question to the NASA X, Facebook and YouTube accounts using the hashtag #AskNASA.

The panelists are:

Kate CalvinChief Scientist and Senior Climate Advisor at NASA Headquarters
Caley BurkeFlight Design Analyst, NASA Launch Services Program
ErinLeonardProject Staff Scientist, Europa Clipper, NASA JPL
Juan Pablo LeónSystems Test Stand Engineer, Europa Clipper, NASA JPL
Elizabeth the turtleprincipal investigator, Europa Imaging System instrument, Europa Clipper, APL

October 9: Press conference before the premiere

Then at 3:30 p.m. (1930 GMT) or thereabouts on Wednesday, NASA will broadcast a pre-launch press conference. This event will occur after the Clipper launch readiness review is completed, so the date may change if the meeting is unexpectedly short or long.

Participants are:

Deputy Administrator of NASA Jim Free
Sandra Connellydeputy administrator in the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters
Tim DunnLaunch Director, NASA Launch Services Program
Julianna Scheimandirector of NASA Science Missions, SpaceX
Jordan EvansProject Manager, Europa Clipper, NASA JPL
Mike McAleenanlaunch meteorological officer, 45th Weather Squadron, U.S. Space Force

October 9: Premiere of Europa Clipper

On Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. EDT (21:30 GMT), NASA will launch the “Europa Clipper rollout show,” which will likely include the landing of a probe and a Falcon Heavy rocket on KSC’s Pad 39A.

October 10: Release day!

NASA’s launch day coverage will begin at 11:30 a.m. EDT (15:30 GMT) on Thursday (October 10), almost exactly one hour before launch, which is scheduled for 12:31 EDT (16:31 GMT).

If Clipper doesn’t fly on Thursday, he will have other opportunities; The launch window lasts until October 31. Check for updates on Space.com or the NASA Europa Clipper blog.