We will explore the first extraterrestrial ocean. NASA announces the Poseidon mission

For some time US space agency Plans to explore the moons of Jupiter and Saturn. These snow globes promise to be excellent for the possibility of life there. It will be the first task dragonflyunder it Titan will fly big Drone. In the meantime, it will be the second mission Poseidon. They will be attended by an orbital vehicle, a landing craft and a fleet of unmanned aircraft.

Titan is set to become the first moon to land with such vehicles. Scientists think they would work perfectly there. They don’t throw words to the wind, because at the beginning of this year the first drone landed Mars. NASA is thrilled with that, so it’s time to send drones to faraway things.

The mission begins Drone fleet It is expected to take place around 2030, and in 2037 the vehicles will land on the surface of the body on the lander. Meanwhile, the probe itself will be observing Titan from the perspective of space. The task will be done as part of the program new HorizonsHis goal is to study strange worlds in the solar system. When the mission is carried out, the entire drone fleet will be operating on Mars, and the first human colonies may be established there.

Scientists explain that Titan is one of the most interesting things we know. Surface temperatures are very low, there are natural reservoirs of liquid hydrocarbons, and the atmosphere is dominated by Earth-like nitrogen. Astrobiologists think they’re out there The ideal conditions for the emergence and flourishing of various forms of life. Recently, an unusual molecule that was involved in the formation of human DNA was discovered there. Saturn’s moon in its current form resembles the Earth billions of years ago.

Exploration drones can be equipped nuclear propulsionOr rather, thermoelectric radioisotope generators, eight rotors and a set of research instruments. Titan’s low gravity (about one-seventh of Earth) and dense atmosphere (four times the density of Earth) make it an ideal location for this type of aircraft. It has a relatively calm atmosphere, and the winds are much weaker than they are on Earth, making this world an ideal place to test a larger flying vehicle.

As of now, NASA does not have an exploration plan ready, but the mission is said to be carried out in an area known as Shangri-La. It is located on the equator of the Moon and is rich in sand dunes. They bring to mind opinions from African Namibia. The Silk Nozzle will also be carefully explored. There are supposed to be signs of water there, as well as complex organic molecules based on carbon.

Scientists plan that the scientific mission will last at least 3 years. During its duration, the drones will travel about 200 kilometers from sandy areas and fly over them methane and ethane tanks. The instruments will map the surface and also check the state of the atmosphere. Scientists plan to take thousands of images of the entire globe, and then use them to search for traces of life and interesting formations that could tell the story of the evolution of this moon.