Would you like to hear our wonderful story?
Scientists worldwide are actively attempting to search for life among celestial bodies in the solar system, with Europa being a prime candidate. Although Europa experiences extreme cold with an average surface temperature of -171°C, it is believed that a completely different world lies beneath its icy surface. This other world is a subterranean ocean. The strong gravitational forces from its parent planet, Jupiter, generate tidal frictional heat within Europa, which likely melts the subsurface ice to form an underground ocean. The estimated volume of Europa's subsurface ocean is over 3 billion cubic kilometers, more than twice the volume of Earth's oceans (1.4 billion cubic kilometers). Remarkably, Europa, with a diameter of just 3,100 km (smaller than Earth's Moon, which has a diameter of 3,400 km), contains an immense reservoir of water within its compact body. The scientific community predicts that the icy crust covering Europa’s ocean is 15–25 kilometers thick. Due to this thick ice, sunlight likely does not reach Europa's underground ocean. However, scientists believe that an alternative energy source could sustain life in this dark environment: hydrothermal vents. These vents emit hot energy and various chemical substances, providing an energy source that could sustain life in the absence of sunlight. Similar hydrothermal vents exist in Earth's deep oceans, and diverse lifeforms thrive around them. Scientists speculate that Europa's hydrothermal vent systems could also support diverse organisms, possibly even large creatures like octopuses. Airopa's octopus symbol embodies this grand vision of exploring beyond Earth to seek humanity’s first encounter with extraterrestrial life—a profound connection symbolized by the possibility of encountering an octopus-like alien in Europa's depths. It reflects the ambitious goal of Airopa’s project to push humanity’s boundaries and discover new life in the universe.