The countdown has officially begun for NASA's Europa Clipper mission, now scheduled to launch on Monday after a delay caused by Hurricane Milton, which impacted Florida last week. The storm resulted in damage to parts of NASA's Kennedy Space Center, but preparations have resumed for this ambitious mission.

The Europa Clipper spacecraft will embark on an extraordinary journey, traveling 1.8 billion miles (2.9 billion km) to reach Jupiter, with an anticipated arrival in April 2030. Once in orbit around the gas giant, the spacecraft will focus on exploring Europa, one of Jupiter's icy moons, with the ultimate goal of investigating the potential existence of life beneath its frozen surface.

Launch Details: NASA's Europa Clipper is set to lift off at 12:06 p.m. ET (16:06 UTC), which corresponds to 9:36 p.m. IST, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.

In an effort to engage space enthusiasts, NASA encourages the public to participate in the launch event by sharing pictures or videos of their custom looks using the hashtag #RunwayToJupiter. Selected posts will have the opportunity to be featured on NASA’s website and social media channels.

Where to Watch:

Viewers can watch the launch live via NASA's official livestream platforms and social media channels. Stay tuned to experience this groundbreaking moment in space exploration!