[20] The spacecraft will analyze the presence of an induced magnetic field around Europa, and attempt to detect plumes of water ejecta from a subsurface ocean; in addition to various other tests.

[21] The mission's name is a reference to the lightweight and fast clipper ships of the 19th century that routinely plied trade routes, since the spacecraft will pass by Europa at a rapid cadence, as frequently as every two weeks.

[36][37] Following the 2014 election cycle, bipartisan support was pledged to continue funding for the Europa Multiple Flyby Mission project.

[40][41] In April 2015, NASA invited the ESA to submit concepts for an additional probe to fly together with the Europa Clipper spacecraft, with a mass limit of 250 kg.

[44] An internal assessment at ESA considered whether there was interest and funds available,[45][46][47][48] opening a collaboration scheme similar to the very successful Cassini–Huygens approach.

[66] In July 2024, the spacecraft faced concerns of delay and missing the launch window because of a discovery in June 2024 that its components were not as radiation-hardened as previously believed.

[76][77] Because Europa lies well within the harsh radiation fields surrounding Jupiter, even a radiation-hardened spacecraft in near orbit would be functional for just a few months.

[2] Each flyby would cover a different sector of Europa to achieve a medium-quality global topographic survey, including ice thickness.

[83] Despite the increased weight of solar panels compared to plutonium-powered generators, the vehicle's mass had been projected to still be within acceptable launch limits.

[84] Each panel has a surface area of 18 m2 (190 sq ft) and produces 150 watts continuously when pointed towards the Sun while orbiting Jupiter.

The Europa Clipper's orbit will pass through Jupiter's intense magnetosphere, which is expected to gradually degrade the solar panels as the mission progresses.

The propulsion subsystem carries nearly 2,700 kilograms (6,000 lb) of monomethyl hydrazine and dinitrogen tetroxide propellant, 50% to 60% of which will be used for the 6 to 8-hour Jupiter orbit insertion burn.

[needs update][90] The Europa Thermal Emission Imaging System will provide high spatial resolution as well as multi-spectral imaging of the surface of Europa in the mid to far infrared bands to help detect heat which would suggest geologically active sites and areas, such as potential vents erupting plumes of water into space.

This instrument is derived from the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) on the 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter, also developed by Philip Christensen.

[92] The Mapping Imaging Spectrometer for Europa is an imaging near infrared spectrometer to probe the surface composition of Europa, identifying and mapping the distributions of organics (including amino acids and tholins[93][94]), salts, acid hydrates, water ice phases, and other materials.

It consists of two cameras, both of which use 2048x4096 pixel CMOS detectors:[96][97] The principal investigator is Elizabeth Turtle of the Applied Physics Laboratory.

The Europa Ultraviolet Spectrograph instrument will be able to detect small erupting plumes, and will provide valuable data about the composition and dynamics of the moon's exosphere.

Retherford was previously a member of the group that discovered plumes erupting from Europa while using the Hubble Space Telescope in the UV spectrum.

REASON will probe the exosphere, surface and near-surface and the full depth of the ice shell to the ice-ocean interface up to 30 km.

[103] ECM replaced the proposed Interior Characterization of Europa using Magnetometry (ICEMAG) instrument, which was canceled due to cost overruns.

[108][109] Jack Waite, who led development of MASPEX, was also Science Team Lead of the Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS) on the Cassini spacecraft.

The principal investigator is Jim Burch of Southwest Research Institute, who was previously the leader of the Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission.

[16] On February 10, 2021, it was announced that the mission would use a 5.5-year trajectory to the Jovian system, with gravity-assist maneuvers involving Mars (March 1, 2025) and Earth (December 3, 2026).

[51][52][2] One alternative to the direct trajectory was identified as using a commercial rocket, with a longer 6-year cruise time involving gravity assist maneuvers at Venus, Earth and/or Mars.

[needs update] After entry into the Jupiter system, Europa Clipper will perform a flyby of Ganymede at an altitude of 500 km (310 mi), which will reduce the spacecraft velocity by ~400 m/s (890 mph).

This will be followed by firing the main engine at a distance of 11 Rj (Jovian radii), to provide a further ~840 m/s (1,900 mph) of delta-V, sufficient to insert the spacecraft into a 202-day orbit around Jupiter.

Once the spacecraft reaches the apoapsis of that initial orbit, it will perform another engine burn to provide a ~122 m/s (270 mph) periapsis raise maneuver (PRM).

[124] The poem is engraved on Europa Clipper inside a tantalum metal plate, about 7 by 11 inches (18 by 28 centimeters), that seals an opening into the vault.

The public participants' names are etched onto a microchip attached to the plate, within an artwork of a wine bottle surrounded by the four Galilean moons.

[125] Other elements etched on the inwards side together with the poem and names are the Drake equation, representations of the spectral lines of a hydrogen atom and the hydroxyl radical, together known as the water hole, and a portrait of planetary scientist Ron Greeley.