Although Europa is only about a quarter of the size of Earth, it has about twice as much liquid salt water compared with what is in our planet and the vast oceans lying beneath its outer shell is the very reason why scientists think that if life indeed exists in the solar system other than on Earth, this would likely be found in the waters of Europa.
Now, scientists are closer to finding out whether or not there is life on this icy world. The 2016 federal budget allocation for NASA includes allocation for a mission to Europa and this may involve hunting for signs of alien life in the ocean-harboring world.
The current mission concept known as the Europa Clipper involves sending a spacecraft to orbit Jupiter and make several flybys of Europa over a period of three and a half years. The $2.1-billion mission would take a closer look at and capture photos of the moon to provide researchers with better understanding of the characteristics of the water including its depth and salinity.
The spacecraft would also map and measure the icy shell, which could be crucial for future missions on the moon's surface.
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