Nasa Mission To Find Life On Jupiter's Moon

Nasa is planning to send a spacecraft to one of Jupiter's moons which may hide a vast ocean under its icy surface.

Scientists suspect that Europa has an ocean underneath its surface, and vapour plumes have been spotted venting from its south pole.

Nasa administrator Charles Bolden said: "Looking to the future, we're planning a mission to explore Jupiter's fascinating moon Europa, selecting instruments this spring and moving toward the next phase of our work."

The White House has proposed an $18.5bn (£12.2bn) budget for Nasa in 2016, including $30m (£19.8m) to go towards the Jupiter mission.

Some $100m (£65.9m) has been previously committed to the project - a fraction of the $2.5bn (£1.65bn) spent on the Mars Curiosity rover.

However, additional cash is likely to be allocated over several years, bringing total spending to $2bn (£1.32bn).

The mission is likely to take place in the early 2020s.

One possible mission concept is to send a spacecraft into orbit around Jupiter on a path that would let it fly close to Europa.

Radar and topgraphic cameras would then be used to learn more about the moon, helping them to determine whether there is a hidden ocean beneath the surface that could host life.

However, a more ambitious option would be to place a lander on the ice.