NASA Plans Life Hunting Mission to Jupiter Moon Europa in 2020s

NASA's mission to Jovian moon Europa moved a step closer with the space agency's announcement of its payload kit.

The presence of an ocean beneath Europa's icy surface has prompted NASA to consider a mission to scour for signs of life on Jupiter's satellite. Hubble had observed water plumes shooting from the moon's south polar region linked to the sub-surface ocean. A solar-powered spacecraft is being planned for 45 flybys which will see the probe examine the planet from as close as 16 miles.

"The payload of selected science instruments includes cameras and spectrometers to produce high-resolution images of Europa's surface and determine its composition. An ice penetrating radar will determine the thickness of the moon's icy shell and search for subsurface lakes similar to those beneath Antarctica. The mission also will carry a magnetometer to measure strength and direction of the moon's magnetic field, which will allow scientists to determine the depth and salinity of its ocean," NASA said in a press release.

The space agency's 2016 fiscal budget request includes $ 30 million for the mission to Europa which is seen as the best candidate for life in our solar system. The spacecraft will look for salt in water, rocky surface and also temperatures underneath the crust. Europa is the size of Earth's moon but is estimated to have twice the amount of water in the planet's oceans.