NASA has successfully launched its Europa Clipper spacecraft, the largest it has ever built for a planetary mission, atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The spacecraft has separated from the rocket, deployed its solar arrays, and is now on a 1.8 billion-mile journey to Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons, expected to take about five and a half years.

Instead of heading directly to Jupiter, the Clipper will fly by Mars and Earth to gain gravitational momentum for its journey.

Scientists believe Europa, covered by a thick icy shell above a saltwater ocean, may harbor conditions suitable for life, including water, energy, and chemistry, Engadget has reported.

Upon arrival in 2031, the Clipper will conduct 49 flybys, coming as close as 16 miles to the surface, using its nine scientific instruments to study the moon’s ice thickness, ocean depth, and potential water vapor plumes.

Written by B.C. Begley