explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:3234: Europa Missions

2026-04-18T23:35:51Z

2001:861:3F07:A020:A19A:2BA:622D:DCA4:

What is the possible area a Zamboni can do? How many would be needed to cover the whole surface? [[User:SDSpivey|SDSpivey]] ([[User talk:SDSpivey|talk]]) 02:56, 18 April 2026 (UTC)
:Europa has a surface area of about 3.061×10^7 km^2. A zamboni seems to cover about a 1.2 m^2 area (about 0.6m by 2m) at any given time. So if you simply cover all of Europa in zambonis (only like 3 trillion) and then drive them all forward their own length at the same time without crashing them into each other. So probably less than 3 trillion would be my guess (Also probably more than 2).
:They probably do like 8L/h and cover about 8000 m^2/h. So if they had 30 litre tanks, you would need 1 billion zambonis (0.03 km^2 each), and they would take 4 hours. Or for 1 month : 5 million Zambonis, refueled 200 times each (30 billion litres propane total). For constant resurfacing, like a normal ice rink (~10 times a day), you would need 2 billion zambonis running constantly (90 terawatts). [[User:Sameldacamel34|Sameldacamel34]] ([[User talk:Sameldacamel34|talk]]) 08:41, 18 April 2026 (UTC)
:: I think for the complete covering option you'd need at least one zamboni to rotate in place, as a consequence of the hairy ball theorem. [[Special:Contributions/137.25.230.78|137.25.230.78]] 15:58, 18 April 2026 (UTC) 

Is Randall confusing the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter and Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer here? [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jupiter_Icy_Moons_Explorer wikipedia link]
Also this feels like it is probably a reference to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/17776 17776], what with all of its topics and the recent rise in interest in that work. [[User:SkiesShaper|SkiesShaper]] ([[User talk:SkiesShaper|talk]]) 03:47, 18 April 2026 (UTC)

The hovertext leaves ambiguity between the transitive and intransitive meanings of "resurface", leading to me imagining a Zamboni Voyager mission profile that involves cracking through the ice layer just to make moonfall and then climbing out of the ocean somehow. [[Special:Contributions/108.71.212.208|108.71.212.208]] 17:09, 18 April 2026 (UTC)
: The Zamboni Voyager also has a suspiciously sharp part on the bottom side, which could conceivably support this view. Resurfacing would probaly involve 3-D manoeuvres not necessarily allowed in 2-D Hockey on Earth. But the Federation MUST EXPAND [[Special:Contributions/2001:861:3F07:A020:A19A:2BA:622D:DCA4|2001:861:3F07:A020:A19A:2BA:622D:DCA4]] 23:09, 18 April 2026 (UTC)
:: That's just a standard(-looking) Zamboni machine sat on top of a booster/lander chasis that's currently firing its main rocket... [[Special:Contributions/81.179.199.253|81.179.199.253]] 23:30, 18 April 2026 (UTC)
::: That's what they want you to think. "170 to 2 due to burrowing" was just not acceptable for the Confederacy's teams managers. [[Special:Contributions/2001:861:3F07:A020:A19A:2BA:622D:DCA4|2001:861:3F07:A020:A19A:2BA:622D:DCA4]] 23:34, 18 April 2026 (UTC)

Talk:3234: Europa Missions

2026-04-18T23:35:22Z

2001:861:3F07:A020:A19A:2BA:622D:DCA4:

What is the possible area a Zamboni can do? How many would be needed to cover the whole surface? [[User:SDSpivey|SDSpivey]] ([[User talk:SDSpivey|talk]]) 02:56, 18 April 2026 (UTC)
:Europa has a surface area of about 3.061×10^7 km^2. A zamboni seems to cover about a 1.2 m^2 area (about 0.6m by 2m) at any given time. So if you simply cover all of Europa in zambonis (only like 3 trillion) and then drive them all forward their own length at the same time without crashing them into each other. So probably less than 3 trillion would be my guess (Also probably more than 2).
:They probably do like 8L/h and cover about 8000 m^2/h. So if they had 30 litre tanks, you would need 1 billion zambonis (0.03 km^2 each), and they would take 4 hours. Or for 1 month : 5 million Zambonis, refueled 200 times each (30 billion litres propane total). For constant resurfacing, like a normal ice rink (~10 times a day), you would need 2 billion zambonis running constantly (90 terawatts). [[User:Sameldacamel34|Sameldacamel34]] ([[User talk:Sameldacamel34|talk]]) 08:41, 18 April 2026 (UTC)
:: I think for the complete covering option you'd need at least one zamboni to rotate in place, as a consequence of the hairy ball theorem. [[Special:Contributions/137.25.230.78|137.25.230.78]] 15:58, 18 April 2026 (UTC) 

Is Randall confusing the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter and Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer here? [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jupiter_Icy_Moons_Explorer wikipedia link]
Also this feels like it is probably a reference to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/17776 17776], what with all of its topics and the recent rise in interest in that work. [[User:SkiesShaper|SkiesShaper]] ([[User talk:SkiesShaper|talk]]) 03:47, 18 April 2026 (UTC)

The hovertext leaves ambiguity between the transitive and intransitive meanings of "resurface", leading to me imagining a Zamboni Voyager mission profile that involves cracking through the ice layer just to make moonfall and then climbing out of the ocean somehow. [[Special:Contributions/108.71.212.208|108.71.212.208]] 17:09, 18 April 2026 (UTC)
: The Zamboni Voyager also has a suspiciously sharp part on the bottom side, which could conceivably support this view. Resurfacing would probaly involve 3-D manoeuvres not necessarily allowed in 2-D Hockey on Earth. But the Federation MUST EXPAND [[Special:Contributions/2001:861:3F07:A020:A19A:2BA:622D:DCA4|2001:861:3F07:A020:A19A:2BA:622D:DCA4]] 23:09, 18 April 2026 (UTC)
:: That's just a standard(-looking) Zamboni machine sat on top of a booster/lander chasis that's currently firing its main rocket... [[Special:Contributions/81.179.199.253|81.179.199.253]] 23:30, 18 April 2026 (UTC)
::: Thats what they want you to think. "170 to 2 due to burrowing" was just not acceptable for the Confederacy's teams managers. [[Special:Contributions/2001:861:3F07:A020:A19A:2BA:622D:DCA4|2001:861:3F07:A020:A19A:2BA:622D:DCA4]] 23:34, 18 April 2026 (UTC)

Talk:3234: Europa Missions

2026-04-18T23:34:45Z

2001:861:3F07:A020:A19A:2BA:622D:DCA4:

What is the possible area a Zamboni can do? How many would be needed to cover the whole surface? [[User:SDSpivey|SDSpivey]] ([[User talk:SDSpivey|talk]]) 02:56, 18 April 2026 (UTC)
:Europa has a surface area of about 3.061×10^7 km^2. A zamboni seems to cover about a 1.2 m^2 area (about 0.6m by 2m) at any given time. So if you simply cover all of Europa in zambonis (only like 3 trillion) and then drive them all forward their own length at the same time without crashing them into each other. So probably less than 3 trillion would be my guess (Also probably more than 2).
:They probably do like 8L/h and cover about 8000 m^2/h. So if they had 30 litre tanks, you would need 1 billion zambonis (0.03 km^2 each), and they would take 4 hours. Or for 1 month : 5 million Zambonis, refueled 200 times each (30 billion litres propane total). For constant resurfacing, like a normal ice rink (~10 times a day), you would need 2 billion zambonis running constantly (90 terawatts). [[User:Sameldacamel34|Sameldacamel34]] ([[User talk:Sameldacamel34|talk]]) 08:41, 18 April 2026 (UTC)
:: I think for the complete covering option you'd need at least one zamboni to rotate in place, as a consequence of the hairy ball theorem. [[Special:Contributions/137.25.230.78|137.25.230.78]] 15:58, 18 April 2026 (UTC) 

Is Randall confusing the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter and Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer here? [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jupiter_Icy_Moons_Explorer wikipedia link]
Also this feels like it is probably a reference to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/17776 17776], what with all of its topics and the recent rise in interest in that work. [[User:SkiesShaper|SkiesShaper]] ([[User talk:SkiesShaper|talk]]) 03:47, 18 April 2026 (UTC)

The hovertext leaves ambiguity between the transitive and intransitive meanings of "resurface", leading to me imagining a Zamboni Voyager mission profile that involves cracking through the ice layer just to make moonfall and then climbing out of the ocean somehow. [[Special:Contributions/108.71.212.208|108.71.212.208]] 17:09, 18 April 2026 (UTC)
: The Zamboni Voyager also has a suspiciously sharp part on the bottom side, which could conceivably support this view. Resurfacing would probaly involve 3-D manoeuvres not necessarily allowed in 2-D Hockey on Earth. But the Federation MUST EXPAND [[Special:Contributions/2001:861:3F07:A020:A19A:2BA:622D:DCA4|2001:861:3F07:A020:A19A:2BA:622D:DCA4]] 23:09, 18 April 2026 (UTC)
:: That's just a standard(-looking) Zamboni machine sat on top of a booster/lander chasis that's currently firing its main rocket... [[Special:Contributions/81.179.199.253|81.179.199.253]] 23:30, 18 April 2026 (UTC)
::: Thats what they want you to think. "170 to 2 due to burrowwing" was just not acceptable for the Confederacy's teams managers. [[Special:Contributions/2001:861:3F07:A020:A19A:2BA:622D:DCA4|2001:861:3F07:A020:A19A:2BA:622D:DCA4]] 23:34, 18 April 2026 (UTC)

Talk:3234: Europa Missions

2026-04-18T23:09:55Z

2001:861:3F07:A020:A19A:2BA:622D:DCA4:

What is the possible area a Zamboni can do? How many would be needed to cover the whole surface? [[User:SDSpivey|SDSpivey]] ([[User talk:SDSpivey|talk]]) 02:56, 18 April 2026 (UTC)
:Europa has a surface area of about 3.061×10^7 km^2. A zamboni seems to cover about a 1.2 m^2 area (about 0.6m by 2m) at any given time. So if you simply cover all of Europa in zambonis (only like 3 trillion) and then drive them all forward their own length at the same time without crashing them into each other. So probably less than 3 trillion would be my guess (Also probably more than 2).
:They probably do like 8L/h and cover about 8000 m^2/h. So if they had 30 litre tanks, you would need 1 billion zambonis (0.03 km^2 each), and they would take 4 hours. Or for 1 month : 5 million Zambonis, refueled 200 times each (30 billion litres propane total). For constant resurfacing, like a normal ice rink (~10 times a day), you would need 2 billion zambonis running constantly (90 terawatts). [[User:Sameldacamel34|Sameldacamel34]] ([[User talk:Sameldacamel34|talk]]) 08:41, 18 April 2026 (UTC)
:: I think for the complete covering option you'd need at least one zamboni to rotate in place, as a consequence of the hairy ball theorem. [[Special:Contributions/137.25.230.78|137.25.230.78]] 15:58, 18 April 2026 (UTC)

Is Randall confusing the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter and Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer here? [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jupiter_Icy_Moons_Explorer wikipedia link]
Also this feels like it is probably a reference to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/17776 17776], what with all of its topics and the recent rise in interest in that work. [[User:SkiesShaper|SkiesShaper]] ([[User talk:SkiesShaper|talk]]) 03:47, 18 April 2026 (UTC)

The hovertext leaves ambiguity between the transitive and intransitive meanings of "resurface", leading to me imagining a Zamboni Voyager mission profile that involves cracking through the ice layer just to make moonfall and then climbing out of the ocean somehow. [[Special:Contributions/108.71.212.208|108.71.212.208]] 17:09, 18 April 2026 (UTC)
: The Zamboni Voyager also has a suspiciously sharp part on the bottom side, which could conceivably support this view. Resurfacing would probaly involve 3-D manoeuvres not necessarily allowed in 2-D Hockey on Earth. But the Federation MUST EXPAND [[Special:Contributions/2001:861:3F07:A020:A19A:2BA:622D:DCA4|2001:861:3F07:A020:A19A:2BA:622D:DCA4]] 23:09, 18 April 2026 (UTC)

Talk:3234: Europa Missions

2026-04-18T23:09:17Z

2001:861:3F07:A020:A19A:2BA:622D:DCA4:

What is the possible area a Zamboni can do? How many would be needed to cover the whole surface? [[User:SDSpivey|SDSpivey]] ([[User talk:SDSpivey|talk]]) 02:56, 18 April 2026 (UTC)
:Europa has a surface area of about 3.061×10^7 km^2. A zamboni seems to cover about a 1.2 m^2 area (about 0.6m by 2m) at any given time. So if you simply cover all of Europa in zambonis (only like 3 trillion) and then drive them all forward their own length at the same time without crashing them into each other. So probably less than 3 trillion would be my guess (Also probably more than 2).
:They probably do like 8L/h and cover about 8000 m^2/h. So if they had 30 litre tanks, you would need 1 billion zambonis (0.03 km^2 each), and they would take 4 hours. Or for 1 month : 5 million Zambonis, refueled 200 times each (30 billion litres propane total). For constant resurfacing, like a normal ice rink (~10 times a day), you would need 2 billion zambonis running constantly (90 terawatts). [[User:Sameldacamel34|Sameldacamel34]] ([[User talk:Sameldacamel34|talk]]) 08:41, 18 April 2026 (UTC)
:: I think for the complete covering option you'd need at least one zamboni to rotate in place, as a consequence of the hairy ball theorem. [[Special:Contributions/137.25.230.78|137.25.230.78]] 15:58, 18 April 2026 (UTC)

Is Randall confusing the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter and Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer here? [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jupiter_Icy_Moons_Explorer wikipedia link]
Also this feels like it is probably a reference to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/17776 17776], what with all of its topics and the recent rise in interest in that work. [[User:SkiesShaper|SkiesShaper]] ([[User talk:SkiesShaper|talk]]) 03:47, 18 April 2026 (UTC)

The hovertext leaves ambiguity between the transitive and intransitive meanings of "resurface", leading to me imagining a Zamboni Voyager mission profile that involves cracking through the ice layer just to make moonfall and then climbing out of the ocean somehow. [[Special:Contributions/108.71.212.208|108.71.212.208]] 17:09, 18 April 2026 (UTC)
: The Zamboni Voyager also has a suspiciously sharpr part on the bottom side, which could conceivably support this view. Resurfacing would probaly involve 3-D manoeuvres not necessarily allowed in 2-D Hockey on Earth. But the Federation MUST EXPAND [[Special:Contributions/2001:861:3F07:A020:A19A:2BA:622D:DCA4|2001:861:3F07:A020:A19A:2BA:622D:DCA4]] 23:09, 18 April 2026 (UTC)

3234: Europa Missions

2026-04-18T22:52:15Z

2001:861:3F07:A020:A19A:2BA:622D:DCA4:

{{comic
| number = 3234
| date = April 17, 2026
| title = Europa Missions
| image = europa_missions_2x.png
| imagesize = 515x274px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Before resurfacing, they promise to inspect the ice for any evidence of hockey-playing life.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created recently by the Zamboni Voyager. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
In recent years, {{w|NASA}} and the {{w|European Space Agency}} (ESA) have sent spacecraft to observe Jupiter’s moon Europa. According to NASA, the moon could be a candidate for life, so it would make sense that the scientists would send spacecraft to observe it. The first two craft, the {{w|Europa Clipper}} and {{w|Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer}}, respectively, will investigate the ocean, topography and chemistry of the moon, to help in searching for signs of life. Europa's ocean is frozen on the top, thus "subsurface ocean."

A {{w|Zamboni}} is a vehicle that, rather than being a scientific misson or a transport for other scientific missions, is meant to quickly resurface ice rinks during or after hockey games. The comic talks about a hypothetical spacecraft carrying a Zamboni because the {{w|National Hockey League}} wants to expand their games to Europa due to the surface of the moon’s oceans being completely covered in ice. Hockey in reduced gravity would be {{What If|124|an interesting idea.}}

The title text talks about finding hockey playing life on Europa, which would be unlikely, as the life on Earth and Europa are completely separate cultures,{{citation needed}} so even if the life on Europa does have its own forms of entertainment similar to sports, it would be unlikely that the sports played have even {{w|Convergent evolution|remotely similar}} rules or equipment.

==Trivia==
The [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/archive/f/fd/20260418170145%21europa_missions_2x.png original version of the comic] incorrectly referred to the "Jupiter Icy Moons ''Orbiter''".

==Transcript==
:[Cueball's upper body is shown; he is in front of an image of a spacecraft.]
:Cueball: There are now three spacecraft headed to Europa:
:Cueball: NASA's ''Europa Clipper'', which investigate Europa's subsurface ocean,

:[In a longer shot, Cueball, Ponytail, and Hairy are all shown standing in front of another spacecraft image, with Cueball gesturing at it.]
:Cueball: ESA's ''Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer'', which will study the topography and chemistry of Europa and the other moons,

:[Another closeup on Cueball, who is in front of an image of a {{w|Zamboni}} with a firing rocket nozzle on its bottom.]
:Cueball: And the NHL's ''Zamboni Voyager'', which plans to resurface Europa.
:Voice out of frame: Oh no.
:Cueball: We tried to stop them, but the league is set on an expansion.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Space probes]]
[[Category:Sport]]
[[Category:Comics edited after their publication]]