5 ms·

I want a robot to land on Europa, drill, through her icy top layer, explore the oceans underneath, and send us pretty pictures… in my lifetime.

yrgulation 5y ago
I am not an expert in the field and happy to be corrected, but i think Europa is vastly underrated and i agree with your comment. I suppose the challenge is the thickness of its crust but in my view its worth exploring the options to reach its water ocean and potentially explore a research base. From water one can generate fuel, oxygen and do farming. Really wish someone knowledgeable would chip into why this moon is not getting more attention.
benzofuran 5y ago
Talk to Bill Stone about that - he's been one of the preeminent cave explorers and they've been working towards exactly that: https://stoneaerospace.com/ https://stoneaerospace.com/ - look at Prometheus and Archimedes in particular.
divbzero 5y ago
How difficult would it be to drill down through the ice? Would melting through the ice be a viable alternative or would that end up being less efficient?
- ridgeguy 5y ago
  A vehicle tipped with a Pu238 heat source might do the trick with no moving parts. Assumes no pesky rocks in the way.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
kingcharles 5y ago
What about the tentacles? http://allreaders.com/book-review-summary/2061-odyssey-three-39300 http://allreaders.com/book-review-summary/2061-odyssey-three...
R0b0t1 5y ago
If we focus on life extension technology we could do a lot more in your lifetime.
bmitc 5y ago
And Enceladus, too! I've been reading about it lately, and I would be quite surprised (not to say I'm anywhere close to an expert) if there wasn't life there. It's got a rocky core surrounded by a deep ocean surrounded by a layer of ice. It's core gets a geological workout from tidal forces from Saturn (i.e., heat), and there's clear evidence of volcanic activity from the plumes that are ejected. I'm a little surprised we don't more readily explore Europa and Enceladus. They are far more interesting than Mars.
- mixmastamyk 5y ago
  A probe is in the planning stages.
  - bmitc 5y ago
    Do you know the name of it?
    - mixmastamyk 5y ago
      Europa clipper: https://europa.nasa.gov/mission/about/ https://europa.nasa.gov/mission/about/
      - bmitc 5y ago
        Thank you!
tim333 5y ago
One of the side effects of Spacex Starship, if it works, is it'll make it was easier and cheaper to send a bunch of stuff out into the solar system.
- juanani 5y ago

yrgulation 5y ago

I am not an expert in the field and happy to be corrected, but i think Europa is vastly underrated and i agree with your comment. I suppose the challenge is the thickness of its crust but in my view its worth exploring the options to reach its water ocean and potentially explore a research base. From water one can generate fuel, oxygen and do farming. Really wish someone knowledgeable would chip into why this moon is not getting more attention.

benzofuran 5y ago

Talk to Bill Stone about that - he's been one of the preeminent cave explorers and they've been working towards exactly that: https://stoneaerospace.com/ https://stoneaerospace.com/ - look at Prometheus and Archimedes in particular.

divbzero 5y ago

How difficult would it be to drill down through the ice? Would melting through the ice be a viable alternative or would that end up being less efficient?

ridgeguy 5y ago
A vehicle tipped with a Pu238 heat source might do the trick with no moving parts. Assumes no pesky rocks in the way.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]

kingcharles 5y ago

What about the tentacles? http://allreaders.com/book-review-summary/2061-odyssey-three-39300 http://allreaders.com/book-review-summary/2061-odyssey-three...

R0b0t1 5y ago

If we focus on life extension technology we could do a lot more in your lifetime.

bmitc 5y ago

And Enceladus, too! I've been reading about it lately, and I would be quite surprised (not to say I'm anywhere close to an expert) if there wasn't life there. It's got a rocky core surrounded by a deep ocean surrounded by a layer of ice. It's core gets a geological workout from tidal forces from Saturn (i.e., heat), and there's clear evidence of volcanic activity from the plumes that are ejected. I'm a little surprised we don't more readily explore Europa and Enceladus. They are far more interesting than Mars.

mixmastamyk 5y ago
A probe is in the planning stages.
- bmitc 5y ago
  Do you know the name of it?
  - mixmastamyk 5y ago
    Europa clipper: https://europa.nasa.gov/mission/about/ https://europa.nasa.gov/mission/about/
    - bmitc 5y ago
      Thank you!

tim333 5y ago

One of the side effects of Spacex Starship, if it works, is it'll make it was easier and cheaper to send a bunch of stuff out into the solar system.

juanani 5y ago