Published time: August 09, 2013 00:43
New research indicates Jupiter’s moon Europa is the most likely spot in our solar system to support life outside of the Earth, and NASA is currently developing a mission to explore the planet's icy shell and a subsurface ocean that may resemble our own.
Leading planetary researchers have published a paper detailing plans for a possible “lander” to be launched within the next decade. The plan includes instruments resembling those used by the Mars Curiosity rover, such as a drill and a complement of cameras. According to the paper - published this week in the journal Astrobiology - the frozen, crackled surface of the moon is a compelling choice for robot landers.
What makes Europa an appealing target for planetary scientists is its subsurface ocean of liquid water - evidence for which was first collected by flybys of robotic probes, including Voyager in the 1980s and Galileo in the 1990s.
The moon is thought to be affected by Jupiter’s huge gravitational presence, which scientists suspect generates tidal forces that heat the interior of the celestial body and drive geologic activity similar to plate tectonics. Of particular interest are the dark, reddish fractures present throughout the surface of the moon’s ice shell that suggest that water has welled up and frozen on the moon’s surface.
What makes Europa an appealing target for planetary scientists is its subsurface ocean of liquid water - evidence for which was first collected by flybys of robotic probes, including Voyager in the 1980s and Galileo in the 1990s.
The moon is thought to be affected by Jupiter’s huge gravitational presence, which scientists suspect generates tidal forces that heat the interior of the celestial body and drive geologic activity similar to plate tectonics. Of particular interest are the dark, reddish fractures present throughout the surface of the moon’s ice shell that suggest that water has welled up and frozen on the moon’s surface.
Reuters / NASA
NASA scientists have previously suggested that the red spots on Europa’s surface mean that the moon acts as a sort of lava lamp, carrying material from near the surface down into its ocean, potentially transporting living organisms up towards the surface as well.
Europa could potentially host extraterrestrial life, due to its liquid ocean and warmer core which is thought to be similar to Earth’s deep-water hydrothermal vents.
“Landing on the surface of Europa would be a key step in the astrobiological investigation of that world,”said Chris McKay, a senior editor of the Astrobiology journal, who is based at NASA Ames Research Center in California.
“This paper outlines the science that could be done on such a lander,” said McKay. “The hope would be that surface materials, possibly near the linear crack features, include biomarkers carried up from the ocean.”
Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei first discovered Europa in 1610. It wasn't until NASA’s Galileo reached the Jupiter system in 1995 that scientists were able to study the moon’s surface in greater detail.
Since then, some research has speculated that Europa’s ocean may be fed by far more oxygen than was previously thought. Research produced by scientist Richard Greenberg at the University of Arizona in Tucson in 2009 theorized that beyond microscopic organisms, the moon’s ocean could support some three million tons of fish-like creatures.
Europa could potentially host extraterrestrial life, due to its liquid ocean and warmer core which is thought to be similar to Earth’s deep-water hydrothermal vents.
“Landing on the surface of Europa would be a key step in the astrobiological investigation of that world,”said Chris McKay, a senior editor of the Astrobiology journal, who is based at NASA Ames Research Center in California.
“This paper outlines the science that could be done on such a lander,” said McKay. “The hope would be that surface materials, possibly near the linear crack features, include biomarkers carried up from the ocean.”
Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei first discovered Europa in 1610. It wasn't until NASA’s Galileo reached the Jupiter system in 1995 that scientists were able to study the moon’s surface in greater detail.
Since then, some research has speculated that Europa’s ocean may be fed by far more oxygen than was previously thought. Research produced by scientist Richard Greenberg at the University of Arizona in Tucson in 2009 theorized that beyond microscopic organisms, the moon’s ocean could support some three million tons of fish-like creatures.
This image shows two views of the trailing hemisphere of Jupiter's ice-covered moon, Europa (Reuters / NASA)
"There's nothing saying there is life there now," said Greenberg, who presented his work at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society's Division for Planetary Sciences in 2009. "But we do know there are the physical conditions to support it."
So far, however, speculations of life on Europa are based on calculations of flybys and imagery of its surface, as well as evidence collected by instruments on the Hubble Space Telescope and the Galileo spacecraft – both of which have confirmed the presence of an atmospheric layer composed mostly of molecular oxygen.
So far, however, speculations of life on Europa are based on calculations of flybys and imagery of its surface, as well as evidence collected by instruments on the Hubble Space Telescope and the Galileo spacecraft – both of which have confirmed the presence of an atmospheric layer composed mostly of molecular oxygen.
“The highest priority is active sampling of Europa's non-ice material from at least two different depths (0.5–2 cm and 5–10 cm) to understand its detailed composition and chemistry and the specific nature of salts, any organic materials, and other contaminants,” said the new report.
“A secondary focus is geophysical prospecting of Europa, through seismology and magnetometry, to probe the satellite's ice shell and ocean.”
The next steps for NASA and other space programs like the European Space Agency (ESA) will be to further map out the surface of Europa and select a prime landing spot for a robotic lander. NASA’s Juno probe is currently scheduled to orbit around the Jupiter system in 2016.
Meanwhile, the ESA plans to launch its JUICE mission (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) in 2022 aboard an Ariane 5 rocket, arriving at Jupiter in 2030 and spending some three years exploring the planet’s moons, including Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.
A number of previous plans to explore Europa have been abandoned since the early 2000s, including the Europa Lander Mission, which proposed a nuclear-powered lander. Another project known as Ice Clipper - which would have used an impactor similar to NASA’s Deep Impact mission – was also scrapped. The Deep Impact mission launched into Earth’s moon in 2005, generating a plume of debris which was then studied by a smaller spacecraft.
“A secondary focus is geophysical prospecting of Europa, through seismology and magnetometry, to probe the satellite's ice shell and ocean.”
The next steps for NASA and other space programs like the European Space Agency (ESA) will be to further map out the surface of Europa and select a prime landing spot for a robotic lander. NASA’s Juno probe is currently scheduled to orbit around the Jupiter system in 2016.
Meanwhile, the ESA plans to launch its JUICE mission (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) in 2022 aboard an Ariane 5 rocket, arriving at Jupiter in 2030 and spending some three years exploring the planet’s moons, including Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.
A number of previous plans to explore Europa have been abandoned since the early 2000s, including the Europa Lander Mission, which proposed a nuclear-powered lander. Another project known as Ice Clipper - which would have used an impactor similar to NASA’s Deep Impact mission – was also scrapped. The Deep Impact mission launched into Earth’s moon in 2005, generating a plume of debris which was then studied by a smaller spacecraft.
Comments (10)
Vincenzo La Chimera 12.08.2013 02:27
Except for the dumb "my tax dollar" crowd that will never see the big picture or have a trancendental thought process, this article has sponsored some of the most intelligent comments I have read on RT. Where are all the comments with horrible spelling and grammar blaming Jews for everything wrong with their lives, it's like they were suddenly sucked into a void?
ernis 12.08.2013 02:19
I have a friend living there.
Ryan Duncan Gatley 09.08.2013 16:00
[quote name='gypsy' time='09.08.2013 08:48']
The reason we have to escape this world, is because the only way that we will be able to successfully feed everyone and end the shortage of energy as well as end wars over minerals will be to go into space. Might I ask if you were asleep and did not notice the meteor that did not even hit us yet caused catastrophic damage in a city in Russia? if one were to actually hit us we would be wiped out, we need to have more people off-planet to ensure the survival of the human race in the event of such a cataclysm
The reason we have to escape this world, is because the only way that we will be able to successfully feed everyone and end the shortage of energy as well as end wars over minerals will be to go into space. Might I ask if you were asleep and did not notice the meteor that did not even hit us yet caused catastrophic damage in a city in Russia? if one were to actually hit us we would be wiped out, we need to have more people off-planet to ensure the survival of the human race in the event of such a cataclysm
-1
Lewis Smart 09.08.2013 11:15
Globally the amount of money spent on space exploration is diminishingly small, in a relative sense. It wouldn't help all that much to use that money on humanitarian causes, and in a sense the exploration of space is itself a humanitarian issue.
As Sagan pointed out, establishing a foothold in space may be the only way to ensure survival of earth life. Further, it may be that earth is the only living place in the universe - that's at least as likely as not, for all we know. If that is the case, and if life is a good thing, then we have a moral imperative to spread it beyond the fragile position of being earthbound.
As Sagan pointed out, establishing a foothold in space may be the only way to ensure survival of earth life. Further, it may be that earth is the only living place in the universe - that's at least as likely as not, for all we know. If that is the case, and if life is a good thing, then we have a moral imperative to spread it beyond the fragile position of being earthbound.
+2
Toosinbeymen B. 09.08.2013 09:50
In spite of all the benefits from space programs, people still complain. What benefits you ask?
Comput er Technology: 3-D Semiconductor Stacking, Structural Analysis, Air Quality Monitoring, Database Management System, Laser Surveying, Aircraft Controls, Expert System Software, Microcomputers, Advanced Imaging and Design Graphics.
Consumer/Home/R ecreation: Enriched Baby Food, Water Purification System, Scratch-Resistant Lenses, Pool Purification, Ribbed Swimsuit, Portable Coolers/Warmers, Sports Training, ...
The list is very long.
Comput er Technology: 3-D Semiconductor Stacking, Structural Analysis, Air Quality Monitoring, Database Management System, Laser Surveying, Aircraft Controls, Expert System Software, Microcomputers, Advanced Imaging and Design Graphics.
Consumer/Home/R ecreation: Enriched Baby Food, Water Purification System, Scratch-Resistant Lenses, Pool Purification, Ribbed Swimsuit, Portable Coolers/Warmers, Sports Training, ...
The list is very long.
+2
gypsy 09.08.2013 08:48
I'm glad more and more people are speaking out against these fantasy stories that end up costing the people of this planet billions of dollars. Money that is not available for anything apart from dealing with the fundamentals. We have a poverty and hunger epidemic. We have a rapidly increasing margin between the rich and the poor. Corporations control our governments. A small group of people controls the worlds money supply through their international banking cartel. These are things we need to attend to.
I don't understand why we need to escape this planet. Have our insane leaders given up?
I don't understand why we need to escape this planet. Have our insane leaders given up?
-4
Luis Reyes 09.08.2013 06:35
As the hardworking taxpayer that you are, you lack the ambition and ability to think outside the confines of the system. The problem isn't that we don't have enough money to fund the project. The problem is that we think we need money to do things. All we'd have to do is get rid of the current system chaining us down! Then there'd be no problem in giving scientists the resources to explore new frontiers. May the system crumble!
+2
Michael Groves 09.08.2013 06:08
Another fairy story from NASA because they need funding.
When will we wake up to this nonsense?
We can't even get peace on this tiny Earth - don't let us spoil anywhere else in our wonderful Solar System.
These projects cost billions of the people's money when 25,000 humans die every day from starvation.
When will we wake up to this nonsense?
We can't even get peace on this tiny Earth - don't let us spoil anywhere else in our wonderful Solar System.
These projects cost billions of the people's money when 25,000 humans die every day from starvation.
-3
amazingworld 09.08.2013 05:30
Stan Dinsmore 09.08.2013 03:53
but the rest of us live in reality
... a reality that's getting warmer and inching closer to the next ice age by the minute. As an American tax payer, I really have no problem spending those dollars on NASA rockets instead of Obama's assassin drones.
I think of it as an investment in the possibility of a future "life-in-space& quot; since our species had made it a hobby of late to endanger the possibility of continuing life on Earth.
+4
Stan Dinsmore 09.08.2013 03:53
NASA wants to spend money on research into life on another planet. It is easy for NASA scientists to live out their fantasies at taxpayer expense; but the rest of us live in reality. Because of the economy, our 'reality' doesn't get any easier.
-3
No comments:
Post a Comment