Instrumentation for in-situ exploration of Europa
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Southampton
Department Name: Faculty of Engineering & the Environment
Abstract
The in-situ exploration of Europa is a high priority for future space exploration missions. In 2015, NASA issued a community announcement encouraging scientists to investigate the possibilities of scientific instrumentation compatible with a Europa lander mission operating for approximately one month. This Europa lander mission proposed by NASA is in its conceptual stage.
Jupiters moon Europa is one of the main focus points for the exploration of potentially habitable worlds and astrobiology. This is due to its sub-surface saline ocean strongly believed to be in contact with a rocky silicate ocean floor. Such an environment could potentially provide an ideal chemistry and energy balance, not unlike the Earths ocean floor, to harbour life in the ocean on Europa.
This research project will focus on miniaturizing instrumentation to explore the physical and chemical properties of Europa. As with most space missions, the mass and size of the instruments on board a spacecraft exploring the Jovian system are the main constraints and key parameters for such a mission, which is why minimizing these is an extremely important step towards a successful Europa in-situ exploration mission.
Additionally, miniaturized instruments exploring the physical and chemical properties necessary for life or chemical signs of biological processes in the icy crust of Europa could also be applicable and appealing for other interplanetary missions such as searching for life in the polar caps on Mars or other icy moons such as Enceladus.
Jupiters moon Europa is one of the main focus points for the exploration of potentially habitable worlds and astrobiology. This is due to its sub-surface saline ocean strongly believed to be in contact with a rocky silicate ocean floor. Such an environment could potentially provide an ideal chemistry and energy balance, not unlike the Earths ocean floor, to harbour life in the ocean on Europa.
This research project will focus on miniaturizing instrumentation to explore the physical and chemical properties of Europa. As with most space missions, the mass and size of the instruments on board a spacecraft exploring the Jovian system are the main constraints and key parameters for such a mission, which is why minimizing these is an extremely important step towards a successful Europa in-situ exploration mission.
Additionally, miniaturized instruments exploring the physical and chemical properties necessary for life or chemical signs of biological processes in the icy crust of Europa could also be applicable and appealing for other interplanetary missions such as searching for life in the polar caps on Mars or other icy moons such as Enceladus.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Ariana Vitkova (Student) |