What message from humanity will Nasa deliver to Jupiter's Europa?

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (Nasa) Europa Clipper mission, which is set to launch later this year, will explore Europa, one of Jupiter's largest moons, with evidence of a subsurface ocean.

However, along with its original mission, it will also convey humanity's aspirations into the cosmos through a carefully curated message within the spacecraft's vault, Wion reported.

"The plate combines the best humanity has to offer across the universe – science, technology, education, art, and math," Lori Glaze, director of the Planetary Science Division at Nasa Headquarters in Washington reportedly said.

"The message of connection through water, essential for all forms of life as we know it, perfectly illustrates Earth's tie to this mysterious ocean world we are setting out to explore."

What's humanity's message?

The Europa Clipper features a triangular plate with tantalum-crafted symbols and inscriptions, symbolising exploration and understanding through its exploration spirit.

The outward-facing panel will feature an engraving of Ada Limon’s poem "In Praise of Mystery: A Poem for Europa" and waveforms representing the word "water" spoken in 103 languages, showcasing the universal significance of water.

The Europa Clipper mission will encapsulate humanity's relentless pursuit of knowledge from Frank Drake's pioneering equation to the visionary efforts of scientists like Ron Greeley, Wion reported.

Project Scientist Robert Pappalardo of Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, said: "It's been a decades-long journey, and we can't wait to see what Europa Clipper shows us at this water world."

"In 2030, after a 1.6-billion-mile (2.6-billion-kilometre) journey, Europa Clipper will begin orbiting Jupiter, making 49 close flybys of Europa," according to Nasa.

Europa Clipper is slated to launch from Florida's Kennedy Space Centre in October, aiming to solve riddles surrounding one of the solar system's most mysterious moons, stimulating public curiosity and encouraging future generations to explore space.