Two JHU APL instruments chosen for NASA mission to Jupiter moon Europa

Two instruments designed by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory are among nine instruments selected for flight aboard a proposed NASA mission to explore Jupiter's moon Europa and investigate its habitability.

An earlier NASA mission, Galileo, produced strong evidence that the moon—about half the size of Earth's moon—has an icy shell that overlies a saltwater ocean. If proven to exist, this global ocean could have more than twice as much water as Earth. With abundant salt water, a rocky sea floor, and the energy and chemistry provided by tidal heating, Europa could be the best place in the solar system to look for present day life beyond our home planet.

"Europa has tantalized us with its enigmatic icy surface and evidence of a vast ocean," said John Grunsfeld, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. "We're excited about the potential of this new mission and these instruments to unravel the mysteries of Europa in our quest to find evidence of life beyond Earth."

Read more on The Hub.