Enceladus, a moon belonging to the planet Saturn, has piqued the interest of scientists as they plan to send a probe there by 2040 to find out if the Saturnian satellite, 25 times smaller than Earth and almost 10 times as far from the sun, can support life.
Enceladus is one of 146 moons that orbit Saturn but remains numero uno in terms of astronomical interaction as scientists, according to a report by the Guardian, believe that the tiny world which is mere 500 kms in diameter could provide one of the best prospects of finding life on another world in our solar system.
The European Space Agency (Esa) said earlier that it is mulling sending a robot probe across a billion kilometres of space to find out. There are many challenges but the most challenging would be finding huge reserves of fuel to help the spacecraft place itself in the orbit of Enceladus and then land on its surface.
Enceladus is a dynamic world with surfaces that are relatively young, less than 100 million years old and was first observed by William Herschel in 1789. US space agency Nasa described the planet as ‘ a small, icy world that has geyser-like jets spewing water vapour and ice particles into space’.
Enceladus is unique among icy worlds because it shoots its ocean water into space, allowing spacecraft to collect samples. Scientists found that Enceladus has the chemicals necessary for life and hot hydrothermal vents in its ocean. It is found to include organic compounds, including propane and ethane.
“Few worlds in our solar system are as compelling as Enceladus,” Nasa writes in its webpage dedicated to the Saturnian moon. Astronomer professor Michele Dougherty of Imperial College London called it her ‘favourite moon’ while speaking to The Guardian.
“Enceladus has three key ingredients that are considered to be essential for the appearance of life. It has got liquid water, organic material and a source of heat. That combination makes it my favourite moon in the whole solar system,” the astronomer was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
The Esa shares a similar view. The space agency believes that sending a robot to the planet is expected to deliver “a transformational scientific return”. It is not just Enceladus that is being targeted. The Esa is also targeting Europa, the ice-covered moon of Jupiter and Titan, the hydrocarbon-rich moon of Saturn.
These two along with Enceladus possess subsurface oceans. There is a chance that these oceans can sustain alien lifeforms.
An Esa panel recently concluded that Enceladus should be the top priority among the interplanetary destinations. They recommend launching a mission by 2040 to either land on the moon or fly through its geysers, which spray water and carbon chemicals into space. Ideally, the mission would achieve both objectives, according to the panel.
“The mission would provide tremendous scientific return and would be fundamental for the successful detection of biosignatures on icy moons,” Dr Zita Martins, an astrobiologist at Instituto Superior Técnico, who chaired the panel said, according to the newspaper.
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