NASA New Mission Strategy: Get Samples from Saturn's Moon Titan to Uncover Its Mystery

Experts from NASA plot a new strategy that will allow us to harness specimens from Saturn's moon Titan. The mission to bring samples from the moon that might introduce us to new life forms. It is possible that it can get compounds that we don't have on our planet.

The Titan mission will use a strategy based on the new NASA concept. It will use lakes from the moon that is comprised of methane as a power source to send the mission's vessel back on Earth, reports Space.

Mysteries of Titan, Saturn's Second Largest Moon

According to NASA, Saturn has many moons, including the 53 that have been named and 29 still waiting to be confirmed. Among the moons of the planet, Titan is the second largest. The massive size of the moon is larger compared to the planet Mercury. Experts got the first glimpse of Titan with the help of the Cassini mission.

Like Earth, Titan has ocean-like water beneath its frozen surface. The moon also has chemicals that act as active liquid bodies like lakes and rivers flowing onto its surface. But these liquids aren't made of dihydrogen monoxide (or what we call water). Instead, it contains methane, a kind of combustible gas called hydrocarbon. Titan has an atmosphere made up of nitrogen.

In addition to the moon's framework, both the surface and atmosphere of Titan are discovered with tholin, a chemical compound not available on Earth. It is theorized that the chemical might have played a vital role in the existence of life billions of years ago.

Experts are devoted that possibly, life forms are inhabiting Titan. The moon's watery subsurface may include similar organisms that we have on our deepest trenches. The coldness of Titan's temperature, which is -179°C, doesn't stop scientists from being convinced of potential life existence on the moon. With the odd construction of the moon added with an atmospheric pressure 50% higher than Earth's, scientists still believe that life forms have adapted to their unique, carbon-rich environment.

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Titan Mission at Work Will Use Moon Chemical as Power Source

Study for the Titan mission is now at work with NASA Glenn Research Center. The research will look upon the chances and strategies of bringing samples of the moon Titan back here on Earth. The approval of the research was given by NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC), one of the space agency's programs that funds beneficial future projects.

According to Glenn Research Center's Compass Lab head Steven Oleson, the exploration of the moon will be much easier than any other missions. It is also possible that the craft o be used won't experience the seven minutes of terror compared to the landing process of other spacecraft.

With the thickness of nitrogen and higher pressure in Titan's atmosphere, the craft to be sent out on the moon won't have any trouble landing on the surface. The atmospheric composition will slow down the vessel and will result in a soft landing, Oleson said. It is possible that the craft's descend doesn't need any rockets, he added. Overall, the new concept of the Titan mission will take advantage of the bountiful carbon presence on the moon to safely land, ignite rockets and go back to Earth without wasting any self-carried power source.