I-NASA iqalise ngempumelelo i-Clipper mission kwi-Europa kwisithuba ngoMvulo we-14 ngo-Oktobha 2024. Unxibelelwano lweendlela ezimbini luye lwasekwa kunye ne-spacecraft ukususela ekuqalisweni kwayo kwaye iingxelo zangoku zibonisa ukuba i-Europa Clipper isebenza njengoko kulindelekile kwaye i-ingood health.
I-Europa ilingana neNyanga. Enye yezona satellite zikhulu zeJupiter, inomhlaba ongqindilili womkhenkce wamanzi kunye nolwandle olukhulu olungaphantsi kwamanzi anetyuwa ngaphantsi komkhenkce wayo. Kucetyiswa ukuba yenye yezona ndawo zithembisayo kwisixokelelwano sezijikelezi-langa ukuze kubekho uhlobo oluthile lobomi. Injongo ephambili ye-mission yeClipper kukuqinisekisa ukuba i-Europa ineemeko ezinokuxhasa ubomi. Uthumo luza kukhanyisela ngakumbi ekufumaneni uhlobo oluthile lobomi kuLwandlekazi lwase-Europa.
Isiphekepheke siza kuhamba malunga ne-2.9 yeebhiliyoni zeekhilomitha. Iza kuqala ukujikeleza iJupiter ngo-Epreli ka-2030 kwaye iya kubhabha idlule i-Europa ngamaxesha angama-49. Ngo-2031, i-Europa Clipper iya kuqalisa ukusebenza kwaye iya kuqalisa iimpukane ezinikezelwe kwisayensi ze-Europa ziza kufutshane ne-25 km kumphezulu wayo. Iimpukane ezikufutshane ziya kunika amathuba okufunda umoya we-Europa, umphezulu kunye nobunzulu bangaphakathi kusetyenziswa izixhobo ezintsonkothileyo zezixhobo zesayensi ezikwisiphekepheke.
Ubomi abunakwenzeka kumphezulu we-Europa ngenxa yokuvezwa ngokuqhubekayo kwimitha enzima evela kwiJupiter nakwindawo yangaphandle. Nangona kunjalo, ulwandle lwayo lunokuba neziseko eziyimfuneko zokwakha ubomi. Ifotosynthesis ayinakwenzeka njengoko igqunywe ngumkhenkce ongqindilili. Iimpendulo zemichiza ziyaziwa ngamandla eendlela zobomi bakudala. Ngenxa yokuba i-Europa nayo iphantse yandala njengoMhlaba, kunokwenzeka ukuba ubomi bamandulo busenokuba bavela kulwandle lwayo olunokuphefumla kwayo kunokuxhaswa kukuveliswa kweoksijini phezu komhlaba (ngemitha ye-cosmic eyenzelwe ukuqhekeka kwe-H.2O iimolekyuli) kunye nokusasazeka kwayo kulwandle olungaphantsi komhlaba.
Nakuphi na ukufunyaniswa okunokwenzeka kwixa elizayo kobomi bamandulo bentsholongwane kulwandlekazi lwase-Europa kuya, okokuqala ngqa, kubonisa ukuvela okuzimeleyo kobomi kwiindawo ezimbini ezahlukeneyo kwindalo iphela.
***
Imithombo:
- Susa ngaphezulu! I-NASA ye-Europa Clipper iSingise kwiNyanga yoLwandle lweJupiter. 14 Okthobha 2024. Iyafumaneka e https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/liftoff-nasas-europa-clipper-sails-toward-ocean-moon-of-jupiter/
- Europa Clipper Press Kit. https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/press-kits/europa-clipper/
- I-Prasad U., i-2024. Ithemba loBomi kwi-Europa's Ocean: I-Juno Mission ifumana i-Oxygen Production ephantsi. Inzululwazi yaseYurophu. Ipapashwe nge-9 kaMatshi 2024. Ifumaneka e https://www.scientificeuropean.co.uk/sciences/space/prospect-of-life-in-europas-ocean-juno-mission-finds-low-oxygen-production/
***
Inqaku elinxulumene nalo
Ithemba loBomi kwi-Europa's Ocean: I-Juno Mission ifumana iMveliso ye-Oxygen ephantsi (9 Matshi 2024).
***
