DragonFly – NASA's New Interplanetary Probe
In 2028, NASA plans to launch a another probe towards my favorite planet – Saturn. If you have never seen Saturn with your child through a telescope in your backyard – go do it at the next opportunity. You wont regret it. Its a lifetime memory.
Dragonfly is a planned NASA mission to explore Titan, Saturn's largest moon, using a robotic rotorcraft – a first for NASA. Scheduled for launch in July 2028 aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, Dragonfly is expected to arrive at Titan in 2034.
Titan is worth examining because it has a dense, nitrogen-rich atmosphere and surface rich in organic compounds that could lead to life. Dragonfly aims to assess Titan's habitability and study its organic chemistry by exploring diverse locations on its surface. The rotorcraft's vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capability will enable it to travel between multiple sites, covering distances of up to 16 kilometers (10 miles) per flight.
Dragonfly will begin its exploration in Titian’s equatorial “Shangri-La” dune fields, which are similar to the sand dunes in Namibia on Earth (very sandy and reddish if you have seen the pictures). Its ultimate destination is the Selk impact crater, where there is some evidence of past liquid water and complex organic materials—key ingredients for life.
Dragonfly will be powered by a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) (CC: whatever that is!!!), which provides a continuous power source for its instruments and flight operations. During Titan's nights, which last about eight Earth days (a long one!), Dragonfly will remain on the surface, conducting experiments and recharging its batteries.
This is a mission that the Curiosity.Click (CC) crew will be following with great interest. Both Titian and dragonflies have special places in CC’s heart. Stay tuned
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