Should it continue the Artemis program and establish a lunar base, or shift its focus directly to Mars? While using the Moon as a stepping stone could be a more efficient approach, a direct Mars mission would be faster but far riskier.

"It's like a game of billiards around the solar system, flying by a couple of planets at just the right angle and timing to build up the energy we need to get to Jupiter and Europa."

NASA's Europa Clipper is about to use Mars' gravitational pull to slingshot itself towards Jupiter's smallest moon later this week. The craft launched from the agency's Kennedy Space Center in October 2024,