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NASA seeking ideas for mission to Europa

By T.K. Randall
July 17, 2014 · Comment icon

24 comments

What lies beneath Europa's surface ? Image Credit: Britney Schmidt/Dead Pixel VFX

The space agency is accepting proposals for science instruments for future use on Jupiter's icy moon.

As part of its efforts to search for evidence of extraterrestrial life within our own solar system, NASA is planning on sending a spacecraft to Jupiter's moon Europa, a cold and enigmatic world thought to contain a liquid water ocean beneath a thin ice crust.

This time however the space agency is inviting scientists and engineers from all over the world to submit proposals for instruments designed to help find signs of life there.

The winning entry will be funded, built and then sent to Europa when the mission launches at some point in the not-too-distant future.

"The possibility of life on Europa is a motivating force for scientists and engineers around the world," said NASA's John Grunsfeld. "This solicitation will select instruments which may provide a big leap in our search to answer the question: Are we alone in the universe ?"

Source: Fox News | Comments (24)

Tags: Europa, Jupiter

Recent comments on this story

#15 Posted by Merc14 10 years ago

moving on - if a deep impact projectile is involved then the possibility to actually subject ejecta to scientific processes would open up many channels of investigation I was thinking the same thing. A high speed, inert and sterile projectile fired at the surface would kick up tons of ejecta which could then be analyzed by the orbiting spacecraft. You could make its composoition identical to meteoric iron so that there would be no complaints about polluting the surface with or inroducing foreign material as I am sure the moon is hit all the time with iron-nickel meterors.

#16 Posted by Waspie_Dwarf 10 years ago

Before anyone gets all riled up for no good reason - if you look at the original article it sources Fox News which does go into a somewhat extended future prospectus for investigating Europa including landers etc. The Source for this thread (OP source) is actually NASA which IS very clear about the AO. Easy error - time to move on I would have thought... Thank you for pointing this out, I apologise to John Wesley Boyd for questioning his honesty. I would still suggest that he checks his facts before making provably wrong claims though.

#17 Posted by Waspie_Dwarf 10 years ago

moving on - if a deep impact projectile is involved then the possibility to actually subject ejecta to scientific processes would open up many channels of investigation I question the need for a deep impact projectile. Since Europa has geysers which spray material many tens of kilometres into space a Europa orbiter (or flyby) mission could sample such material without the need for the weight and complexity of an impactor.

#18 Posted by keithisco 10 years ago

I question the need for a deep impact projectile. Since Europa has geysers which spray material many tens of kilometres into space a Europa orbiter (or flyby) mission could sample such material without the need for the weight and complexity of an impactor. Does anyone know if the flybe or orbits will take the craft over the South Pole where the geysers appear to be? If so then I totally agree that an impactor would be surplus to needs. Analysis of any samples collected would be a real boost to the mission outbrief.

#19 Posted by Parsec 10 years ago

Thank you for pointing this out, I apologise to John Wesley Boyd for questioning his honesty. I would still suggest that he checks his facts before making provably wrong claims though. In total fairness and just to clear things up (althought keithisko already brought that up), here's a screen of UM article's page and even UM Home page, as referred by John Wesley Boyd (red underline mine): So maybe he should read mor thoroughly before posting, but you should check facts better before jumping on someone's neck, since as you can read the word "on" wasn't his invention. Anyway, quoting keithisko a... [More]

#20 Posted by Merc14 10 years ago

I question the need for a deep impact projectile. Since Europa has geysers which spray material many tens of kilometres into space a Europa orbiter (or flyby) mission could sample such material without the need for the weight and complexity of an impactor. I understand but the geysers are not predictable. A man made impact would allow the spacecraft to be in the "right place at the right time" to deploy all its instrumentation during the event. Of course, as you said, the geysers would provide an immense amount of info and should also be explored and I can't imagine they wouldn't be.

#21 Posted by Fizzpop 10 years ago

Any body up for some ice fishing ...

#22 Posted by Bavarian Raven 10 years ago

Any body up for some ice fishing ... We will need some beers and an ice hut. Can't be worse then northern Canada in January.

#23 Posted by Waspie_Dwarf 10 years ago

So maybe he should read mor thoroughly before posting, but you should check facts better before jumping on someone's neck, since as you can read the word "on" wasn't his invention. And maybe, before flame-baiting by sticking your nose in affairs that have nothing to do with you, you should have noticed that I apologised for my behaviour. Are going to apologise for yours? Anyway, quoting keithisko and moving on, WE had.

#24 Posted by Waspie_Dwarf 10 years ago

Does anyone know if the flybe or orbits will take the craft over the South Pole where the geysers appear to be? If so then I totally agree that an impactor would be surplus to needs. Analysis of any samples collected would be a real boost to the mission outbrief. I would guess that a final orbit has been determined yet and may be based on the kind of instruments NASA chooses to fly, however as mapping the surface for future lander missions is one of the stated goals a polar or near polar orbit would make sense. I understand but the geysers are not predictable. A man made impact would allow the... [More]

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