Two Southwest Research Institute instruments were launched aboard NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft on Oct. 14 from the agency's Kennedy Space Center. The spacecraft is designed to conduct a detailed reconnaissance of Jupiter's moon Europa,

A NASA spacecraft has blasted off on a quest to explore Jupiter's moon Europa and reveal whether its hidden ocean might hold the keys to life.

NASA launched its Europa Clipper spacecraft Monday atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket for its first mission to Jupiter since 2011. The mission lifted off at 12:06 p.m. ET amid favorable weather conditions for the Europa Clipper to begin its six-year journey to Jupiter's icy moon Europa.