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Abstract EANA2025-181 |
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TRIPLE: Discussing Scientific Concepts for Icy Moon Exploration by Exploring Antarctic’s Subglacial Lakes
Ralf Bachmayer (1), Jean-Pierre de Vera (2), Ilya Diegel (3), Mia Do (4), Clemens Espe (5), Konrad Frischkorn (6), Dirk Heinen (4), Philipp Hoeck (6), Gregor Hoepfner (6), Julia Kowalski (7), Christian Krause (2), Malte Pallentin (8), Atakan Tepecik (3), Christoph Waldmann (4)
(1) MARUM, Zentrum für Marine Umweltwissenschaften Universität Bremen, Germany
(2) DLR, Space Operations and Astronaut Training, MUSC, Germany
(3) Labor für Zell- und Mikrobiologie, University of Applied Sciences Aachen, Germany
(4) III. Physikalisches Institut B, RWTH Aachen, Germany,
(5) GSI - Gesellschaft für Systementwicklung und Instrumentierung mbH, Germany,
(6) Institute for Machine Elements and Systems Engineering, RWTH Aachen, Germany,
(7) Chair of Methods for Model-based Development in Computational Engineering, RWTH Aachen, Germany,
(8) Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), Helmholz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Germany
The icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn are interesting candidates for the search for possible biosignatures in our solar system. As Jupiter’s moon Europa is covered by an ice crust under which a large ocean of, among others, fluid water is assumed, it is one of the often-highlighted places for such exploration. To investigate the ocean underneath the ice, the TRIPLE project is developing technologies for melting through the ice using a melting probe and, when arriving at the ice-water boundary, releasing a miniature autonomous underwater vehicle (nanoAUV). The nanoAUV then navigates through the ocean, measures scientific data, and searches for possible points of interest (POI) based on the data. When identifying POI, it takes collects water samples at those POI and returns them to the melting probe, which transfers the scientific data and, at mission end, the samples back to the top where they are further investigated in a field laboratory for sample analysis (AstroBioLab). In the current TRIPLE project, the technologies for such a mission are being developed, initially focusing on terrestrial exploration of subglacial lakes in Antarctica, including planned field tests at Neumayer III research station and near Dome C in Antarctica. However, the technology is developed keeping possible applications in upcoming Europa missions in consideration. As both places, Antarctica and Europa, yield large potential for obtaining interesting and relevant data for the scientific community from places that are isolated and have not yet been analyzed, the presentation aims to provide insights in the status of development and obtain feedback from the scientific community. To do so, we describe the scientific requirements and technical functionalities of TRIPLE’s main systems. Based on this, the main sensorics as currently planned to be implemented in the melting probe, the nanoAUV, and AstroBioLab are presented. Herein, we want to open a discussion on the needs and wishes of the astro-biological community regarding both, possible POI definition in Antarctica and Europa, and relevant TRIPLE sensor equipment to extend possible scientific requirements regarding the system.