What fundamentally drives the scientific interest in establishing a presence on Europa?
Answer
The strong evidence pointing toward a massive subsurface ocean of liquid water
Europa is identified as the most compelling candidate for extraterrestrial life because of the substantial evidence indicating a large body of liquid saltwater exists beneath its icy shell. This liquid water is considered the fundamental requirement for life as currently understood. The internal heat supplied by tidal flexing from Jupiter maintains this ocean's liquid state, contrasting sharply with the barren, frozen surfaces of the other Galilean moons, making the hidden ocean the central focus of astrobiological investigation.
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