"Scientists believe Europa has suitable conditions below its icy surface to support life. Its conditions are water, energy, chemistry and stability," said Sandra Connelly, the Deputy Associate Administrator in the NASA Science Mission Directorate.
The Europa Clipper will not be heading straight to Jupiter - it will instead fly by Mars and, in 2026, by Earth to use the planets' gravity to boost its momentum.
NASA equipped the spacecraft with nine instruments, including an ice-penetrating radar, cameras and a thermal instrument, housed inside a vault made of titanium and aluminum to protect them from the intense radiation produced by Jupiter.
Upon reaching Europa in 2031, the Clipper will fly by the moon 49 times, coming as close as 16 miles to its surface.
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