On a date with the unknown, researchers announce the imminent launch of a NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) robot whose daring mission is to explore Saturn’s moon in search of evidence of extraterrestrial life.

By combining the most advanced engineering knowledge with the latest advances in artificial intelligence, this robot promises to revolutionize our understanding of the universe and perhaps answer the question that has fascinated humanity for centuries: Are we alone in the universe?

In this text from Engenharia 360, we’ll explore the technical and scientific challenges NASA faces in this endeavor, as well as the expectations and implications of this pioneering mission.

Why would NASA send a robot to search for signs of extraterrestrial life?

The new NASA robot has a snake-like shape. Its mission, called the Exobiology Extant Life Surveyor (EELS), will be to detect signs of extraterrestrial life, and it will eventually be sent to the ocean hidden under the icy crust of Saturn’s moon Enceladus.

The EELS robot is designed to traverse through inaccessible destinations, calculate risks and collect data in real time without human intervention. In addition, it is highly adaptable and able to explore a variety of terrains, including narrow passages between geysers.

What makes the NASA EELS robot different from current equipment?

The EELS robot differs from existing equipment precisely because of its ability to move independently. It is designed to explore inaccessible and unknown destinations. In addition, EELS are described as highly adaptable, able to navigate a wide variety of terrain and make decisions on their own. He has the ability to navigate narrow passages and explore locations with challenging features such as cliff walls, underground lava tubes and labyrinthine spaces within glaciers.

Specifically, this new NASA robot consists of 10 parts that rotate and use strings for propulsion, traction, and grip.

What tasks do experts plan for the EELS robot?

The EELS robot faces many challenges when exploring the inner ocean of Enceladus. Chief among them is the thickness of the ice crust, which makes access to the ocean difficult. EELS is designed to overcome this challenge and drill through the crust to get to the ocean. In addition, the robot has to deal with hostile environments, such as narrow passages between geysers for hot water and steam.

On the plus side, the NASA robot adapts to different terrains with its flexible and slim design — as said before, snake-style. This design allows the robot to move across varied terrain such as sand, snow, cliffs, and glaciers.

See also: Announcing the selection of NASA astronauts to participate in the Artemis II mission

Planned tasks for the EELS robot

The planned tasks of the EELS robot include self-detection of the environment, calculation of risks, data collection using scientific tools and the ability to recover from problematic situations without human intervention.

Initially, the EELS robot was tested in simulated environments. Tests were carried out in Mars Square, a space simulation of Mars at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, as well as a ski resort in the Snowy Mountains of Southern California. These tests aim to validate the robot’s ability to adapt to different surfaces and environmental conditions prior to its actual mission to Enceladus.

What are the prospects for the EELS robot mission beyond the search for extraterrestrial life?

In the future, in addition to looking for signs of life on Enceladus, the EELS robot could be used to explore other parts of the Moon, asteroids, and even caves or glaciers on Earth. The goal is to have the robot operational by the end of 2024, but a mission to Enceladus has not yet been scheduled by NASA in the next decade.

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sources: Galileo Magazine.

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