Nasa wants to drill into these oceans. They are not on Earth

The latest focus of this interstellar search for another lifeform lies in the concept of "Ocean Worlds"—icy moons orbiting the giant planets, harboring vast oceans beneath their frozen exteriors.

In Short

• Mars has long hinted at a wetter past, possibly teeming with microbial life
• Europa, one of Jupiter's moons, and Enceladus, orbiting Saturn, stand out
• These moons are believed to contain more liquid water than all of Earth's oceans

In their relentless pursuit of extraterrestrial life, scientists have adopted a simple yet profound strategy: "Follow the water."

This axiom has guided astrobiologists and space agencies across the globe as they probe the cosmos for signs of life. Water, the elixir of life on Earth, is not just a terrestrial phenomenon; it's abundant throughout our solar system and potentially beyond.

The latest focus of this interstellar search lies in the concept of "Ocean Worlds"—icy moons orbiting the giant planets, harboring vast oceans beneath their frozen exteriors.

Mars, with its ancient riverbeds and geological features, has long hinted at a wetter past, possibly teeming with microbial life. The Perseverance rover continues to scour the Martian landscape for clues to confirm this hypothesis. However, to truly grasp the potential for alien life, we must delve into the source itself—the liquid water.

Europa, one of Jupiter's moons, and Enceladus, orbiting Saturn, stand out in the cosmic lineup of Ocean Worlds. These moons are believed to contain more liquid water than all of Earth's oceans combined, locked away under thick ice crusts.

The tantalising possibility that these subsurface oceans could support life has captured the imagination of researchers and the public alike.

But how do we access these hidden aquatic worlds on another planet? Enter the cryobot—a cylindrical probe designed to melt through ice using heat generated by an onboard nuclear power system.

This technology, though simple in principle, faces significant challenges when adapted for the extreme conditions of icy moons. The cryobot must be capable of melting through kilometers of ice, which is colder and more unpredictable than Earth's glaciers.

NASA's Scientific Exploration Subsurface Access Mechanism for Europa (SESAME) and Concepts for Ocean worlds Life Detection Technology (COLDTech) programs have been instrumental in advancing cryobot technology.

A recent workshop at the California Institute of Technology convened experts to discuss the progress and remaining hurdles in developing a flight-ready cryobot. Four critical subsystems were identified as essential to the mission: power, thermal management, mobility, and communication.

The power system, likely a nuclear reactor, must generate enough heat to melt through the ice while withstanding the immense pressures of the deep ocean. Thermal management systems will regulate this heat, ensuring efficient melting and safe internal temperatures.

Mobility systems will navigate impurities within the ice, such as dust and salt, and communication systems will maintain a link between the cryobot and its surface base.

While challenges remain, the consensus among researchers is that a cryobot mission to explore Ocean Worlds is scientifically compelling and feasible in the near term. With continued support, the dream of directly detecting extraterrestrial life on another world inches closer to reality.

Published By:
Sibu Kumar Tripathi
Published On:
Dec 6, 2023