P052-04
Vertical Entry Robot for Navigating Europa (VERNE) - A Mission Concept and Identification of Technologies Needed to Access Europa’s Ocean
Friday, 11 December 2020: 17:42
Virtual
Frances E Bryson1, Matthew Ryan Meister1, Justin Burnett2, Chase Chivers3, Brandon Colón4, Nathan Daniel4, Daniel Dichek5, Ashley M Hanna6, Amoree L Hodges6, Kynan Hughson1, Ben Hurwitz1, Justin Lawrence1, Andrew David Mullen1, Mohamed Nassif7, Sara Pierson3, Taylor Plattner1, Samuel Rapoport4, Anthony Spears1, Elizabeth Marie Spiers6, Phillip Szot4, Yashvardhan Tomar4, Bridget Wiley4, E. Glenn Lightsey5 and Britney E Schmidt1, (1)Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Atlanta, GA, United States, (2)Applied Physics Laboratory University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States, (3)Georgia Institute of Technology Main Campus, School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Atlanta, GA, United States, (4)Georgia Institute of Technology Main Campus, Atlanta, United States, (5)Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States, (6)Georgia Institute of Technology Main Campus, Atlanta, GA, United States, (7)Georgia Institute of Technology Main Campus, Aerospace Engineering, Atlanta, GA, United States
Abstract:
The liquid water within or beneath the ice shells of Ocean Worlds are promising locations in the solar system for the search for life beyond Earth, making them compelling targets for future missions. The SESAME-funded Vertical Entry Robot for Navigating Europa (VERNE) project is a mission concept for autonomous penetration and operation within Europa’s ice shell and ocean, to deliver a package through the ice of Europa that is capable of sampling material and profiling for chemical and physical properties and indications of life within the ice and the ocean. The goals of the study also include identifying key technologies that are currently available, or that require near-term investments to enable sub-surface access in the coming decades. The mission concept is novel in its approach to operations, leveraging experience with environments on Earth. As the vehicle descends through the ice shell, it will collect and analyze melted water samples at planned intervals and relay data through optical fiber cable and wireless repeaters to the surface lander. Unique to the VERNE concept, before reaching the subsurface ocean, the vehicle will release an anchor in the ice that allows control of its descent and profiling of approximately 100 m of the upper ocean and ice interface, which is a region with high potential for harboring signs of life on Europa.
Here we present the mission concept and findings thus far, highlighting the major systems that support the mission and the novel approach we envision for sample handling and profiling operations, and commenting on mission requirements. In addition, we have identified and begun an investigation into key developments necessary to enable such a mission: by using a representative instrument suite we have developed a concept of operations of the sample handling system, as well as a design for a prototype that integrates sample processing; explored the components that support anchoring the vehicle and profiling the upper ocean and ice interface; and developed models of acoustic communication through the ice shell that would enable data transmission.
