Ilona Mask rocket will send NASA nuclear helicopter for $ 3 billion per satellite satellite: why (photo)

NASA has a contract with Spaceh, whose rocket carrier will send a unique helicopter, equipped with a nuclear engine. SpaceX, owned by Ilon Musk, has become a participant in the ambitious NASA mission on Titan, the largest satellite of Saturn. A powerful Falcon Heavy rocket will send a Dragonfly Helicopter to Titana Dragonfly on a long journey so that he can determine if there is a life on Saturn's satellite, Interesting Engineering writes. In focus. Technology has appeared its Telegram channel.

Subscribe not to miss the latest and most intrusive news from the world of science! NASA has a contract with SpaceX for $ 256. 6 million, according to which Falcon Heavy rocket launcher will send a nuclear-nuclear-based helicopter titanium called Dragonfly. The launch is planned to be made between July 5 and July 25, 2028. The flight of a unique aircraft to Titan was initially scheduled for 2025, but NASA has problems with funding.

Now the money is probably found, as the total cost of the mission for Saturn's largest satellite is estimated at $ 3. 35 billion. Titan is a world that is not like none of the famous worlds of the solar system. It is the only satellite of the planet in the solar system that has a thick atmosphere. It is also the only famous world where rare rivers, lakes and sea are on the surface. However, they consist of liquid hydrocarbons.

However, it is believed that under the surface of the titanium can hide groundwater in liquid form. Scientists believe that titanium can exist in different forms. If groundwater can maintain life in the usual form, then exotic living organisms can exist in rivers, lakes and seas from hydrocarbons. Although scientists do not rule out that there is no life on the satellite.

Therefore, the Dragonfly helicopter, equipped with a nuclear engine, has to find out whether there is a titanium of life or whether it was there. The helicopter will study during the mission both titanium atmosphere, when it flies above the surface and the features of the relief, among which icy plains and sandy heights when landing. At such moments, the helicopter will collect samples in different places on the Titan surface and will analyze them on the spot.

The Dragonfly helicopter with a car size will look not only signs of a possible life, but also signs of the availability of building blocks needed to create life. Scientists have already identified the most important places on Saturn's satellite, where there are conditions for the development of life. A mixture of carbon -rich materials, along with liquid water in these places, could contribute to the emergence of life in the form in which we know it. Titan is about 1.

2 billion km from Earth, which means that the trip to Saturn's satellite will take 6 years. From 2034 to 2036, the Dragonfly helicopter will conduct its studies on titanium, although the mission can be continued, because it all depends on the technical condition of the spacecraft. We remind that scientists believe it is good that there is no super-land according to Mars, because our planet would expect a catastrophe, as focus has already written.