NASA to send coded message in Hindi to Jupiter’s moon Europa

In October of this year, NASA is set to launch the Europa Clipper Mission, a remarkable endeavor aimed at unraveling the mysteries of Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa. This robotic solar-powered spacecraft will conduct the first detailed investigations of Europa, orbiting Jupiter and performing nearly 50 flybys of the moon. Its primary mission objective is to determine whether there are places below Europa’s surface that could potentially support life ²³.

Here are some key details about the Europa Clipper Mission:

1. Science Goals:

   • Understand the nature of Europa’s ice shell and the ocean beneath it.
   • Investigate the moon’s composition and geology.
   • Explore the astrobiological potential for habitable worlds beyond Earth.

2. Spacecraft Design:

   • The Europa Clipper will be the largest spacecraft ever developed by NASA for a planetary mission.
   • It features massive solar arrays and radar antennas to collect sufficient light for power needs.
   • With its arrays deployed, the spacecraft spans over 100 feet and has a dry mass of 7,145 pounds.
   • To withstand Jupiter’s intense radiation, the payload and electronics are enclosed in a thick-walled vault made of titanium and aluminum, similar to the successful strategy used by NASA’s Juno spacecraft.

3. Unique Message:

   • Scientists have inscribed a message on a 7 by 11-inch tantalum plate.
   • The plate features graphical representations of the word “water” in Hindi and over 100 other languages spoken on Earth.
   • Linguists collected recordings of the word “water” spoken in 103 languages, which were converted into visual waveforms and etched onto the plate.
   • The plate also includes a symbol representing the American Sign Language sign for “water.”
   • Inspired by the golden record sent aboard the Voyager mission, this plate symbolizes humanity’s shared knowledge and curiosity.

4. Additional Artifacts:

   • The spacecraft carries an engraving of US Poet Laureate Ada Limón’s handwritten poem, titled “In Praise of Mystery: A Poem for Europa.”
   • A silicon microchip contains over 2.6 million names submitted by individuals worldwide.
   • The artwork on the plate’s inward-facing side includes a nod to radio frequencies used for interstellar communication, reflecting our ongoing quest to explore the cosmos.

In summary, the Europa Clipper Mission represents our collective curiosity and determination to explore the unknown, seeking answers about Europa’s hidden secrets and the potential for life beneath its icy shell. 🚀🌌🌟