NASA pulls the plug on the Europa Lander, but scientists propose a plan

NASA engineers have spent the past decade in developing a partially independent rough floor designed to explore Europe, one of the most satellites of Jupiter. The Space Agency has obtained cold feet on the project, but engineers are now targeting a new probe: Encladus.

Europe has always been a major goal in searching for biology outside the planet because scientists are suspected of harboring a The ocean is below the surface of the earth Under the ice shell, it is likely to be filled with microbial life. But the robot-which was filled with radioactive shielding, advanced programs, and iceberg accessories-did not go anywhere any time soon.

In a modern paper in Science robotsNAPL’s engineers (JPL) explained the design and test of what was before Europa Lander The initial model, a four -legged robot explorer designed to survive from the brutal surface conditions of the Jovian moon. The robot is designed to walk – for example a roll – terrain analysis, sampling, and drilling in the ice shell in Europe – all with the minimum guidance from Earth, due to the delay in the main communication between our planet and a moon 568 million miles (914 million km).

The robot is designed to work independently for hours at one time, and it is equipped with stereotypes, automatic arm, LED lights, and a set of specialized materials hard enough to withstand harsh radiation and cold cold. The temperatures on the moon range from about -210 ° F (-134 ° C) in the equator to a temperature of up to -370 ° F (-223 ° C) on its columns.

After years of development – including the test in JPL laboratories, advanced simulation, and the final field experience on the iceberg in Alaska – EUROPA Lander gave its tests. He was ready to enjoy the lukewarm border of the solar system. But the space agency has now pulled the plug on the mission.

According to the team, the challenges of reaching Europe-exposure to radiation, the tremendous distance, and short observation windows-have been very arduous to the height of NASA. This is before you take into account Budget destroyed discounts It is planned by the Trump administration, which will witness a decrease in the agency’s financing from 7.3 billion dollars to $ 3.9 billion. Lander, which was once the focus of the dark astronomy initiative, is now mainly.

But the engineers do not give up. They are now pressing the robot to get a second shot-on the Encladus moon, the ice-covered moon, which is also It includes a circumference under the surface of the earth It has proven more converted to automatic exploration. Enceladus is still very cold, but it contains less radiation and the best access from the windows than the Europa.

Whether the Ice Council gets a new rental contract in its semi -subjective life still must be seen. But the robot was built for the moon’s corridor – albeit rigid and relatively wonderful – and deserves its moment.