ORLANDO, Fla. – Nearly two months ago, NASA’s Europa Clipper mission launched from our Space Coast, setting off on a six-year journey to explore Jupiter’s moon, Europa.
The spacecraft travels 22 miles per second, on track to reach Jupiter in Spring 2030. Before the launch, the Orlando Science Center hosted a special pop-up event featuring Lake Brantley High School graduate Jenny Kampmeier. She is a science systems engineer from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California who has spent the last five years working on the Europa Clipper mission.
Europa: A world of possibilities
The Science Center’s Founders Room was transformed into an interactive exhibit highlighting Europa, a moon covered in ice with a global saltwater ocean beneath its surface. For scientists like Kampmeier, Europa represents one of the most promising places in our solar system to search for signs of life.
“Europa is really exciting because it’s covered with ice, but underneath the ice is a global liquid saltwater ocean,” Kampmeier explained. “At least on this planet, wherever we find water, we find life. So, we think that Europa could be a place that’s habitable.”
Kampmeier emphasized the mission’s potential to reshape our understanding of life and the universe.
“The science we’re going to do with this mission has humanity-changing impacts,” she said. “The thought that there is another place in our own solar system that could support life would change our understanding of not only our own world but the universe.”
Connecting science with the next generation
For Kampmeier, the event was about more than sharing the science—it was about inspiring the next generation of explorers.
“I love Europa. I love the science,” she said. “It’s incredible to see people getting excited about it, maybe learning about it for the first time, or even super fans discovering something new. Seeing that excitement—from kids this tall to adults—means so much.”
Kampmeier stressed the importance of events like this in sparking young imaginations.
“You never know what will inspire someone to become an astronaut, work at NASA, or even teach science,” she said. “To be able to give back in that way is incredibly special. I’ve had people in my life inspire me, and to potentially be that for someone else is a privilege.”
A personal journey to space exploration
Growing up in Central Florida, Kampmeier was inspired by the sights and sounds of the Space Coast. She tells News 6 that watching the final space shuttle launch inspired her to pursue a career in the space industry. Now, she plays a pivotal role in the Europa Clipper mission, acting as a bridge between scientists and engineers.
“I basically sit on the boundary between the science team and the engineering team,” she explained. “We all have the same goal of getting to Europa and exploring this incredible place, but sometimes we don’t speak the same technical language. My job is to help them work together.”
Looking ahead, Kampmeier shared her excitement for the mission’s progress and the long-term possibilities.
“The fact that there’s an actual ocean of water on Europa, and we’re going to explore it, understand it, and maybe even swim in it one day—it’s really, really exciting to me.”
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: