International Journal of Astrobiology

Table of Contents - 2009 - Volume 8, Issue 04  

Research Article

The HADES mission concept – astrobiological survey of Jupiter's icy moon Europa

Thomas Böttchera1#, Liliane Hubera2#, Lucille Le Correa3 c1#, Johannes Leitnera4#, David McCarthya5#, Ricky Nilssona6#, Carlos Teixeiraa7a8#, Sergi Vaquer Araujoa9#, Rebecca C. Wilsona10a11#, Fatah Adjalia12, Martin Altenburga13, Giacomo Briania14, Peter Buchasa15, Aurélie Le Postolleca16 and Teresa Meiera17

a1 Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, LMU, Butenandtstrasse 5–13, 81377 Munich, Germany

a2 Physikalisches Institut, Space Research & Planetary Sciences, Siedlerstr. 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland

a3 CNRS, Université de Nantes, Laboratoire de Planétologie et Géodynamique, UMR 6112, 2 rue de la Houssinière, Nantes, F-44000, France

a4 Institute for Astronomy, University of Vienna, Tuerkenschanzstr. 17, A-1180 Vienna, Austria

a5 Microbial Oceanography Research Centre, Department of Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland

a6 Department of Astronomy, Stockholm University, AlbaNova University Center, Roslagstullsbacken 21, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden

a7 Centre for Environmental Biology, Animal Biology Department, Faculdade de Ciências of the Universidade de Lisboa, Edifício C2, 5° piso, Campo Grande, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal

a8 IN+, Center for Innovation, Technology and Policy Research, Environment and Energy Scientific Area, Mechanical Engineering Department, Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1, 1049-001, Lisboa, Portugal

a9 Faculty of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Edifici M, Campus UAB. 08193 Bellaterra, Spain

a10 Planetary and Space Sciences Research Institute, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, UK

a11 Department of Chemistry, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, UK

a12 Institut de Physique de Rennes, Université de Rennes, Astrochimie expérimentale, Campus de Beaulieu, 35000 Rennes, France

a13 TU Dresden, Helmholtzstraße 10, 01069 Dresden, Germany

a14 Dipartimento di Astronomia e Scienza dello Spazio, Università di Firenze, Largo Enrico Fermi 2, 50125, Firenze, Italy

a15 Xiamen University, 361005 Fujian Province, China

a16 Université de Bordeaux, Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux (LAB), CNRS/INSU, UMR 5804, 33271 Floirac, France

a17 Institute of Communication Networks and Satellite Communications, Graz University of Technology, Inffeldgasse 12, 8010 Graz, Austria

Abstract

The HADES Europa mission concept aims to provide a framework for an astrobiological in-depth investigation of the Jupiter moon Europa, relying on existing technologies and feasibility. This mission study proposes a system consisting of an orbiter, lander and cryobot as a platform for detailed exploration of Europa. While the orbiter will investigate the presence of a liquid ocean and characterize Europa's internal structure, the lander will survey local dynamics of the ice layer and the surface environment. The lander releases a cryobot, that melts into the ice, will sample the pristine subsurface and is expected to provide data on organic and gaseous content and putative bio-signatures. In summary, we present the scientific objectives for an astrobiological investigation of Europa, resulting in a mission concept with a detailed evaluation of scientific instrumentation, mission sequences, basic design of the spacecraft, technology needs and cost estimations.

(Received July 20 2009)

(Accepted July 21 2009)

(Online publication August 26 2009)

Key Words:

Correspondence:

c1 e-mail: lucille.le-corre@univ-nantes.fr

Footnotes

# The authors contributed equally to the paper.