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Probes Could Swim Through Ice on Mars or Europa

Posted by timothy on from the just-look-at-the-astounding-market-demand dept.

Fraser Cain writes "NASA's Institute for Advanced Concepts (NIAC) has funded a proposal to explore the idea of a robotic probe that could melt its way through the polar icecaps on Mars or ice covering Europa's ocean. A swarm of these these 100 kg probes would sample pockets of air in the ice as they maneuvered around in formation, searching for evidence of life - either past or present."

6 of 33 comments (clear)

  1. Let's hope they get it done right. by alexwcovington · · Score: 5, Interesting
    This is a good idea, but it'll take a lot to make it work right, especially difficult while the NASA budget is flung all over the place.

    It is especially important with all the water they'll be dealing with, that they take much more care with biological scrubbing... The recent news about the bacteria on the Mars landers doesn't bode well for sending anything 100% clean to the edges of space.

    --
    (It's never too late to join the Renaissance)
  2. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 4, Funny

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  3. Second of 12 by DynaSoar · · Score: 4, Informative

    There's only 10 more of the most recent NIAC phase 1 awards to trickle through the delay lines between the nodes of the blogohypersphere and find their way to /. as "news".

    Or you can get it over with and read them all at http://www.niac.usra.edu/studies/studies.jsp?cpnum =05-01

    You can also check the "call for proposals" link and wait until they open it up again, and send your Great Big Idea for consideration. Also, students can do the same, for scholarship money at http://www.niac.usra.edu/students/index.html

    --
    "I may be synthetic, but I'm not stupid." -- Bishop 341-B
  4. Re:Swim through ice? by NiceGeek · · Score: 3, Informative

    Ok...once again Slasdotters have proven not only to be unable to RTFA but can't even bother to read the freaking summary - what part of "robotic probe that could MELT its way through the polar icecaps on Mars or ice covering Europa's ocean" didn't you understand?

  5. This Is Good News by lorelorn · · Score: 3, Interesting
    A detailed search of Europa has been a high priority since the Gallileo mission confirmed what most people though after Voyager- a liquid 'ocean' under an ice layer.

    What makes this project different, and why it has actually advanced, is that someone has actually come up with a design that looks like it might work!

    It's long been known what you need to do to get under the ice and explore, but the particulars have never before reached even this stage- and it is an early stage.

    There won't be a mission to Europa in the next 5-8 years, but the next 10-15 looks more possible. Subject to budgetary constraints, of course.

  6. Why not Vostok first? by ThomasCR · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Before you bother to go to Europa, do try it at home! On Antarctica's lake Vostok. AFAIK, that ice above this lake is still not penetrated? Will it be easier on Europa, where the pH is around zero?