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Europa Clipper Vault Plate Screw Turned

A worker dressed in white protective clothing uses an orange-handled screwdriver to turn a screw attaching the triangular-shaped silver-colored vault plate to Europa Clipper. Wires and other parts of the spacecraft are visible. Another worker dressed in white and blue head cover looks on.
Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Published: May 7, 2024
Historical Date: May 3, 2024

Engineers and technicians attach the vault plate to NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft on May 3, 2024. The plate is made of tantalum metal that's about 1 millimeter thick, about 7 inches tall, and 11 inches wide (18 by 28 centimeters). It's part of the structure that will protect Europa Clipper’s electronics from Jupiter’s harmful radiation. The orbiter is being assembled in the clean room of High Bay 1 at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California.

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