NASA's Europa Clipper isn't just a spacecraft — it's a work of art

image via Space.com

October 21, 2024, 10:00 AM

• •The Europa Clipper's plaque is made of tantalum and contains an engraving of The Drake Equation, a sketch of Ron Greeley, and a silicon chip with 2.6 million names of Earthlings who signed up to have their being brought beyond Earth somehow.
• •One entire side of the plate is engraved with waveforms of the word "water" spoken in different languages.
• •The Europa Clipper's plate is a beautiful example of how astronomy and art are intertwined.

The Europa Clipper's plaque is a beautiful example of how astronomy and art are intertwined. The plaque, which is made of tantalum, contains an engraving of the poem "Arching Under the Night Sky" by U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón, as well as the Drake Equation and a sketch of Ron Greeley, who founded the field of planetary science and helped the Apollo astronauts reach the moon. The plaque also carries a silicon chip with 2.6 million names of Earthlings who signed up to have their being brought beyond Earth somehow. Most strikingly, one entire side of the plate is engraved with waveforms of the word "water" spoken in different languages.

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