Richard Fidler

Hello, Tracey.

Welcome.

What does it mean to be a National Geographic Explorer?

I think space missions, this is just me, but I think the space program reflects some of the very, very best human values.

You're the chief engineer of this program, the Europa Space Clipper mission.

Tell me about its mission objectives.

What are you all hoping to achieve by sending this spacecraft out towards Europa?

Now, I know the mission objectives require projecting X-rays onto its surface and all kinds of other things, but I'm so there for the holiday snaps.

Is it taking snapshots and actual photography of the surface of Europa as well?

Why does this spacecraft need to be so big?

So is this how Europa is able to travel such a vast distance?

Because it's got to go past, what, Mars?

That's not a hop, skip and a jump.

That's quite a long way.

Does it need more than that to travel, the solar arrays to travel that vast distance?

Really?

So you've shot it out.

Yeah.

It's going to do a slingshot orbit around Mars.

Not quite orbit.