NASA's New "Golden Record" Bound For Europa Clipper

‍ NASA is gearing up to dispatch a novel "Golden Record" on the forthcoming Europa Clipper expedition.

The record is expected to carry millions of names, a poem, equations, and much more, all headed to Jupiter's icy satellite, Europa.

The Europa Clipper: An Unprecedented Mission

Slated for launch in October, the Europa Clipper mission is set to explore Jupiter's icy moon Europa in unprecedented detail. One of the most intriguing aspects of the mission is the inclusion of a "Golden Record", reminiscent of the original Golden Record aboard the Voyager probes. However, instead of a record, the Europa Clipper will carry a specially designed plate.

The Golden Record: A Legacy Continued

The original Golden Record, currently on an interstellar journey with the Voyager probes, comprises songs, sounds, and images encapsulating the diversity of life and culture on Earth during the 1970s. In the spirit of this global representation, the Europa Clipper's Golden Record is designed to reflect the vast cultural variety of our planet.

"Water Words": A Linguistic Tour de Force

The internal side of the plate, designed to shield the spacecraft from Jupiter's intense radiation, features a unique design called "water words". Comprising 103 sound waves, each representing the word "water" in a different language, the design is a testament to the linguistic diversity of Earth. At the center is the American Sign Language symbol for "water".

Message in a Bottle: Names, Poems, and Tributes

The other side of the plate houses an engraving of a bottle, within which is a chip containing 2.6 million names. This "Message in a Bottle" initiative is a nod to the vast human community on Earth. Beneath this, a profound poem by U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón, titled "In Praise of Mystery: A Poem for Europa”, is inscribed. The poem can be read here.

The Drake Equation: A Nod to Cosmic Life

Alongside the names and poem, the plate also features the Drake equation, a probabilistic estimate of intelligent life in the cosmos. While no one expects to find an advanced civilization in Europa's ocean, the search for life signs in its vast water body is an exciting prospect.

Water Hole Radio Waves and a Tribute

The plate also features radio waves representing the "water hole" – a range of frequencies considered significant in the search for extraterrestrial life due to the minimal background noise between them. Additionally, a tribute to planetary scientist Ron Greeley, whose work on the Galileo mission and the conceptualization of a mission to Europa has been pivotal in the development of the Europa Clipper, is included.

A Scheduled Arrival in 2030

The Europa Clipper's journey to Jupiter is estimated to take five and a half years, culminating in an expected arrival in 2030. Until then, the Golden Record will be a testament to human curiosity and our quest to understand the universe.

You can explore the full series of engravings and more details about the plate here.

Conclusion

The Europa Clipper, carrying its unique Golden Record, exemplifies our enduring desire to reach out to the cosmos. As we await its launch and eventual arrival at Jupiter's icy moon, we are reminded of our own small place in the vast expanse of the universe and our unending quest to understand it.