Europe is sending a spacecraft to Jupiter's icy moon to look for life

The European Space Agency (ESA) has selected a mission to Jupiter's icy moon Europa, scheduled to launch in the early 2030s on an Ariane 6 rocket, following approval from its member states. The mission aims to search for signs of life on the moon, which is believed to harbor a subsurface ocean beneath its thick icy crust. The spacecraft, named JUICE (JUpiter ICy moons Explorer), will conduct a flyby of Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto, providing unprecedented insights into the moons' subsurface oceans and potential for supporting life.