Second Chance Solar System: Titan Under a Red Sun

All stars have a finite lifespan. In ~5 billion years the Sun will begin its ascent onto the red giant branch, signalling the beginning of the end, and swelling in size until it has consumed Mercury, Venus, and possibly Earth. All known life will cease to exist. As the inner solar system is transformed into a scorched wasteland, the outer planetary bodies move into the belated habitable zone. Titan is the only moon in the solar system with a considerable atmosphere, consisting of nitrogen (95%) and methane (5%). The Cassini-Huygens mission revealed that photochemical reactions in the atmosphere produce 'tholins' - complex, organic molecules thought to be the chemical precursors to life. The organic 'haze' is believed to mirror that of an early Earth, yet its formation is poorly understood. This multidisciplinary investigation will assess the future habitability of Titan as it warms. Novel planetary models will estimate when and where Titan will be most habitable, while multiphasic atmospheric simulation chambers will manufacture 'Titan tholins' to identify their metabolic properties as a microbial energy source. Definitively, this project will systematically synthesise the raw data brought back by Cassini-Huygens to summarise what has been discovered about this unique icy moon.