NASA’s ambitious Europa Clipper mission, valued at $5 billion, is set to explore Jupiter’s moon Europa, aiming to uncover if its subsurface ocean could support life. However, a critical challenge emerged when it was discovered that the spacecraft’s transistors, crucial for its operation, would fail under Jupiter’s intense radiation. This setback threatened to delay the mission, potentially costing up to $1 billion and several years to rectify. In a creative turnaround, the mission team devised a solution involving a “canary box” to monitor the transistors’ condition in real-time, allowing for timely shutdowns of vulnerable electronics. This innovative approach, developed in just a month, has kept the mission on track for its scheduled launch. The Europa Clipper’s journey to Jupiter now carries the hopes of scientists and engineers, eager to see if their solution will ensure the spacecraft’s success in one of the solar system’s most hostile environments.
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