Clipper to probe if life is possible on icy moon

Cape Canaveral - Is there anywhere else in our solar system that could support life? An imposing Nasa probe lifted off on Monday on a five-and-a-half-year journey to Europa, one of Jupiter's many moons, to take the first detailed step toward finding out.

The Europa Clipper mission will allow the US space agency to uncover new details about the moon, which scientists believe could hold an ocean of liquid water beneath its icy surface.

"Europa is one of the most promising places to look for life beyond earth," said Nasa official Gina DiBraccio.

The mission will not look directly for signs of life but will instead look to answer the question: does Europa contain the ingredients that would allow life to be present?

If it does, another mission would then have to make the journey to try and detect it.