Solar Arrays on NASA’s Europa Clipper Fully Deployed in Space

This artist’s concept depicts NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft in orbit around Jupiter. — This artist’s concept depicts NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft with solar arrays fully deployed in orbit around Jupiter. Europa Clipper’s solar arrays are the biggest NASA has ever developed for a planetary mission. Image credit: NASA

Mission controllers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California have confirmed that the two solar arrays flanking the main body of the Europa Clipper spacecraft have fully unfolded. This means that the spacecraft now has a reliable source of power for the rest of its journey to Jupiter and tour of the Jovian system.

The process began with the cutting of hold-downs keeping the solar arrays folded against the sides of the spacecraft and then the unfolding of one “wing” at a time. With each wing measuring 46 ½-feet (14 meters) long, Europa Clipper’s solar arrays are the biggest NASA has ever developed for a planetary mission.

This concludes our live launch coverage.

To read more about today’s launch, please visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/liftoff-nasas-europa-clipper-sails-toward-ocean-moon-of-jupiter