11.2 Future planned missions and their objectives
3 min read•july 22, 2024
's upcoming missions, and , are set to revolutionize our understanding of potential life beyond Earth. These missions will explore and , investigating their unique environments and searching for signs of habitability.
Europa Clipper aims to confirm Europa's and study its potential for life. Dragonfly will explore Titan's diverse landscapes, examining in its methane-rich environment. Both missions push the boundaries of our search for extraterrestrial life.
Upcoming Missions and Their Astrobiological Objectives
Upcoming astrobiology missions
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- Europa Clipper
- NASA mission to study Jupiter's moon Europa planned for launch in October 2024
- Will perform multiple flybys of Europa to investigate its potential habitability by confirming the presence of a subsurface ocean, characterizing the ice shell, and understanding the chemistry of the ocean
- Builds upon the Galileo mission's discovery of a subsurface ocean and the 's detection of water vapor plumes erupting from Europa's surface
- Dragonfly
- NASA mission to explore Saturn's moon Titan, planned for launch in 2026 and arriving at Titan in 2034
- Rotorcraft lander designed to fly through Titan's dense atmosphere (nitrogen-rich) and study prebiotic chemistry and habitability at various locations on the moon's surface, including organic dunes, impact craters, and potential
- Builds upon the Cassini-Huygens mission's findings of Titan's complex organic chemistry, including liquid methane on the surface
Objectives of future missions
- Europa Clipper objectives
- Confirm the presence of a subsurface ocean beneath Europa's icy crust and characterize its composition, chemistry, and potential for habitability
- Understand the formation of surface features and identify sites of recent or current activity that may provide insights into the exchange between the surface, ice shell, and subsurface ocean
- Investigate the potential for chemical energy sources to sustain life in Europa's ocean
- Dragonfly objectives
- Explore diverse environments on Titan's surface to determine the extent of prebiotic chemistry in environments with key ingredients for life (, liquid solvents, and energy sources)
- Investigate Titan's atmospheric and surface conditions, including the chemical composition of (methane lakes and seas)
- Examine the possibility of life emerging in liquid methane environments, expanding the definition of habitability beyond Earth-like conditions (liquid water, moderate temperatures, and specific chemical elements)
Advancements in extraterrestrial exploration
- Europa Clipper advances the search for life by
- Investigating the habitability of Europa's subsurface ocean
- Identifying potential chemical energy sources to sustain life
- Characterizing the exchange between the surface, ice shell, and ocean, which may provide insights into the transport of nutrients and organic compounds
- Dragonfly advances the search for life by
- Examining the extent of prebiotic chemical processes in environments with key ingredients for life, such as organic dunes and impact craters on Titan
- Investigating the possibility of life emerging in liquid methane environments, expanding the definition of habitability beyond Earth-like conditions
- Studying the chemical composition of Titan's atmosphere and surface, including liquid methane reservoirs, to understand the moon's potential for harboring life or prebiotic chemistry
Key Terms to Review (13)
Atmospheric conditions: Atmospheric conditions refer to the state of the atmosphere at a specific time and place, including factors like temperature, pressure, humidity, wind speed, and precipitation. These conditions are crucial for understanding how celestial bodies can support life or how they respond to external influences. In the context of future planned missions, analyzing atmospheric conditions helps scientists determine the feasibility of exploration and potential habitability of other planets or moons.
Cryovolcanic Sites: Cryovolcanic sites are locations where icy materials, such as water, ammonia, or methane, erupt onto a planetary surface, resembling volcanic activity but involving the expulsion of cold substances rather than molten rock. These sites are of great interest for future missions, as they could provide insights into subsurface oceans and potential extraterrestrial life, showcasing dynamic geological processes that may exist beyond Earth.
Dragonfly: Dragonfly is a planned NASA mission set to explore Titan, Saturn's largest moon, using a rotorcraft lander that can fly to various locations on its surface. This innovative mission aims to study Titan's chemistry, geology, and potential for prebiotic conditions, providing insights into the possibilities for life beyond Earth. The craft's ability to fly allows for unprecedented access to diverse terrains, enabling scientists to gather data across a wide range of environments on Titan.
Europa Clipper: The Europa Clipper is a NASA spacecraft mission planned to study Jupiter's moon Europa, which is believed to harbor a subsurface ocean beneath its icy crust. The mission aims to gather detailed data about Europa's ice shell, ocean composition, and potential habitability, contributing significantly to our understanding of icy moons and the search for life beyond Earth.
Hubble Space Telescope: The Hubble Space Telescope is a large, space-based observatory launched in 1990 that has provided some of the most detailed images of celestial objects, significantly advancing our understanding of the universe. Its unique location above the Earth's atmosphere allows it to capture clearer images without atmospheric distortion, making it a pivotal tool for astronomers and astrobiologists alike. The data collected by Hubble has informed various aspects of astrobiology, from studying exoplanets to understanding the formation of galaxies and the expansion of the universe.
Jupiter's Moon Europa: Europa is one of Jupiter's largest moons, known for its icy surface and potential subsurface ocean, making it a key candidate in the search for extraterrestrial life. Its smooth ice shell is believed to cover a salty ocean beneath, creating an intriguing environment that could harbor conditions suitable for life.
Liquid reservoirs: Liquid reservoirs refer to substantial bodies of liquid that can exist in various environments, particularly in the context of astrobiology where they are crucial for understanding potential habitats for life beyond Earth. These reservoirs can vary in size and composition, including oceans, lakes, or subsurface aquifers, and play a vital role in the climate and geological processes of a planet or moon, influencing its habitability and the potential for life to develop.
Mars 2020 Collaboration: Mars 2020 Collaboration refers to the partnership between NASA and various international space agencies, universities, and private organizations to design, build, and operate the Mars 2020 mission. This mission aims to explore the surface of Mars, particularly Jezero Crater, to search for signs of past life, collect rock and soil samples, and prepare for future human exploration. The collaboration highlights advancements in technology and science through shared expertise and resources.
NASA: NASA, or the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, is the United States government agency responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research. This agency plays a crucial role in various space missions, focusing on exploration, scientific discovery, and developing technologies that can be applied to future missions. NASA's efforts in astrobiology have led to significant advancements in our understanding of potential life beyond Earth, as well as the protection of planetary environments during exploration.
Organic Compounds: Organic compounds are molecules primarily composed of carbon atoms, often combined with hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and other elements. These compounds are the building blocks of life and play essential roles in biochemical processes, making them a key focus in the search for extraterrestrial life and the study of habitability in various celestial environments.
Prebiotic Chemistry: Prebiotic chemistry refers to the study of the chemical processes and reactions that could have occurred on early Earth or elsewhere in the universe to create the building blocks of life, such as amino acids, nucleotides, and simple sugars. Understanding these processes is crucial for exploring how life might arise from non-living matter, thereby providing insight into the origins of life and potential life on other planets.
Saturn's Moon Titan: Titan is the largest moon of Saturn and the second-largest moon in the solar system, known for its dense atmosphere and unique surface features. It stands out as a primary target for future exploration due to its potential for prebiotic chemistry, surface lakes of liquid methane and ethane, and possible subsurface ocean, making it a prime candidate in the search for extraterrestrial life.
Subsurface Ocean: A subsurface ocean refers to a body of liquid water that exists beneath the icy crust of certain celestial bodies, such as moons and dwarf planets. This hidden ocean is significant because it may provide the necessary conditions for life, offering a stable environment where chemical reactions could occur. The presence of a subsurface ocean raises important questions about habitability and the potential for astrobiological exploration, particularly in the context of past, current, and future missions aimed at understanding these environments.