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3234: Europa Missions

2026-04-18T08:29:16Z

2603:800C:1200:596A:8B00:E2BC:49EF:BD5A: /* Explanation */ clarify more

{{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 crafts, 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 transport, is meant to quickly resurface ice rinks 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 remotely similar rules or equipment.

==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 Orbiter'', 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]]

3234: Europa Missions

2026-04-18T08:25:22Z

2603:800C:1200:596A:8B00:E2BC:49EF:BD5A: /* Explanation */ fix link etc

{{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 crafts, the {{w|Europa Clipper}} and {{w|Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer}}, respectively, will investigate the ocean, topography and chemistry of the moon, which would be useful in determining signs of life. (Europa’s ocean is frozen on the top, which is why they say subsurface ocean.)

A {{w|Zamboni}} is a vehicle that, rather than transport, is meant to quickly resurface ice rinks 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 remotely similar rules or equipment.

==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 Orbiter'', 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]]

3234: Europa Missions

2026-04-18T08:24:19Z

2603:800C:1200:596A:8B00:E2BC:49EF:BD5A: /* Explanation */ expand

{{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|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 crafts, the {{w|Europa Clipper}} and {{w|Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer}}, respectively, will investigate the ocean, topography and chemistry of the moon, which would be useful in determining signs of life. (Europa’s ocean is frozen on the top, which is why they say subsurface ocean.)

A {{w|Zamboni{{ is a vehicle that, rather than transport, is meant to quickly resurface ice rinks 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 remotely similar rules or equipment.

==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 Orbiter'', 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]]