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Nasa is in the process of creating miniature swimming robots aimed at investigating the expansive underwater oceans hidden beneath the frozen crust of Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons.
This groundbreaking initiative seeks to uncover possible indications of life within the moon’s subsurface waters, which are thought to hold a greater volume of liquid water than all the oceans on Earth combined.
The robots will be sent through Europa’s ten-mile thick ice crust using a nuclear-powered thermal drilling device, which will create a tunnel to access the underlying liquid ocean.
“People may wonder, why is Nasa creating an underwater robot for space exploration?” remarked Dr. Ethan Schaler, the principal investigator at Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.
The robots will be dispatched through Europa’s ten-mile thick ice shell via a nuclear-powered thermal drill
NASA
Dr. Schaler elaborated: “Life on Earth depends on water, and there is substantial evidence that icy moons within our solar system possess subsurface oceans beneath their frozen exteriors.
“We believe Europa has an expansive saltwater ocean and likely possesses other essential elements for life, including an energy source and the right chemical compounds.
Europa exhibits indicators of current geological activity that could heat its underwater oceans.
This activity may stir vital nutrients and foster conditions where life could flourish.
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Dr. Schaler is of the opinion that a fleet of small swimming robots could explore more body of water than conventional large probes.
The initiative, titled Sensing with Independent Micro-swimmers (Swim), has garnered $725,000 in funding from Nasa.
Current prototype trials in a swimming facility at Caltech university are yielding promising outcomes.
The initial wedge-shaped robots, constructed from 3D printed materials, have shown commendable maneuverability and self-directed navigation.
The present prototypes measure 16.5 inches (42 cm) in length and weigh roughly five pounds (2.3 kg).
Engineers aspire to reduce their dimensions by two-thirds, bringing them down to about the size of a mobile phone.
The robots would communicate underwater through a sonar-like system to relay data back to the cryobot drill.
The cryobot would subsequently transmit information through the ice to a lander situated on Europa’s surface, which would send the data back to Earth.
The swim-bots would function for about two hours on battery energy
NASA
“The robots would be housed within the aerodynamic body during their passage through the ice, and the micro-swimmers would be released either individually or collectively from the cryobot,” Dr. Schaler explained.
Around four dozen robots could be stored inside a section of the thermal drill with a diameter of ten inches.
The swim-bots would function for approximately two hours on battery power.
Computer models indicate they could explore close to three million cubic feet throughout their operational period.
The swim-bots will be equipped with a specialized chip developed by Georgia Tech university.
This chip will gauge temperature, pressure, pH levels, conductivity, and the chemical composition of the oceanic waters.
“There are numerous hurdles to overcome in bringing a concept like this to life,” remarked Dr. Schaler.
“In Europa’s environment, the robots would be navigating through a high-pressure saltwater ocean. These elements will be taken into consideration in the final design,” he added.
The team is anticipating data from NASA’s Europa Clipper mission, which launched in October.
The spacecraft is expected to reach Europa in 2030, commencing 49 flybys to determine if the moon may support life.
The European Space Agency’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer spacecraft, which was launched last year, is set to arrive in 2034.
Should these missions uncover conditions favorable for life, the swim-bot initiative may receive the green light to advance.
“I am eager to see the findings about Europa from Nasa’s Europa Clipper and ESA’s Juice spacecraft in 2030 and afterward,” expressed Dr. Schaler.
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