1 October 2023
By Minseo Kim
The presence of carbon in the subterranean sea on Jupiter's moon has been verified. Since carbon is necessary for life, it is more likely that there will be life elsewhere in the universe.
The James Webb Space Telescope confirmed that carbon dioxide was concentrated on the surface of Jupiter's moon Europa, according to Dr. Gerónimo Villanueva, a researcher at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, in a report published in the international journal Science on September 22.
The "Ocean World," which includes Europa and Saturn's moon Enceladus, is regarded as the most important body in the solar system. It is specifically predicted that the ocean will have a temperature suitable for the emergence of life rather than a slush or ice state that only slightly freezes water as it does elsewhere. It implies that there are prerequisites for life to exist.
A number of probes were launched by the United States into the solar system's Ocean World. Galileo, a probe for Jupiter, was launched into space in 1987 and operated until 2003. Juno, launched in 2011, reached Jupiter's orbit in 2016. The Juno probe closely monitored the valleys and impact zones of Europa's surface last year.
The results from Juno's Europa probe are beneficial for NASA's Europa Clipper probe, which is set to launch in 2024. The Clipper is anticipated to enter Jupiter's orbit in 2030. The objective is to approach Europa at a height of 26 km, take high-resolution pictures, and examine its chemical composition.