Europa Clipper Uses Mars Flyby on March 1, 2025, for Gravity Assist and Instrument Tests

NASA's Europa Clipper executed a Mars flyby on March 1, 2025, at 12:57 p.m. EST, passing within 550 miles (884 kilometers) of the Martian surface. This maneuver served as a gravity assist, altering the spacecraft's trajectory for its journey to Jupiter's moon Europa. The flyby also provided an opportunity to test the spacecraft's radar instrument and thermal imager. The gravitational pull of Mars reduced Europa Clipper's speed relative to the Sun, setting it up for a subsequent Earth gravity assist in December 2026. This Earth encounter will further boost the spacecraft's velocity before it reaches Jupiter's orbit in April 2030. The mission aims to investigate Europa's icy shell, composition, and geology to assess its potential for harboring life.