SpaceX will deliver a device called Dragonfly to its destination.
In 2028, NASA will launch the Dragonfly helicopter, which will travel to Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, to search for signs of life. According to the US space agency’s announcement, the device will be carried by SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket, and the launch may take place from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida between July 5 and 25. The purpose of Dragonfly is to conduct tests on the surface of Titan, revealing the extent to which the celestial body is suitable for life, as well as searching for possible traces of past life.
The importance of the mission is further enhanced by the fact that Titan occupies a unique place in the Solar System. It is the second largest moon and the only known body outside of Earth that has liquid on its surface. Although these are not composed of water but of liquid hydrocarbons, some scientists believe that these substances could have allowed life to develop.
The helicopter, which is about the size of a car, can reach Titan in six years, so it cannot begin its mission until 2034. The nuclear-powered device is expected to collect data on the surface of the celestial body for 2.5 years.
This mission fits well with another NASA venture with a similar goal, the Europa Clipper mission, which launched to Jupiter’s moon Europa this October. The search for signs of life on distant celestial bodies seeks answers to one of the most exciting questions in astrobiology: does life exist or did it exist outside of Earth?
Source: www.pcwplus.hu
