NASA JPL Tests “Next Generation” Ocean Rover
NASA JPL BRUIE Rover during its first Alaska Test prior to recent updates |
NASA conducted tests on an updated version of the BRUIE Rover designed for water-ice environments. On June 25th Time reported that “NASA’s new rover could soon explore the frozen waters of outerspace”.
Software similar to that used in the Mars Cube One and in the communication-relay systems of the CubeSats set to launch in NASA's InSight 2016 Mars Lander are among some of the new updates of the rover. JPL developers spoke about “the next generation” of rovers during the presentation and testing of BRUIE.
NASA is developing water related technology aligned with missions set to explore planets and moons which host water. The Mission to Europa -the moon of Jupiter believed to be a hot-spot in the search for life beyond our planet and estimated to contain vasts ocean environments hidden beneath its ice surface is now in Development Phase. The mission is today set to explore Europa through flyby orbits however NASA is considering the addition of a Europa lander and conducting tests.
NASA -continually interested in the development of new technology and continually funding and testing new equipment and software returns to rovers due to the success which they have obtained in outer space exploration. NASA Mars Rover still today operates in the surface of the Red Planet relaying water related information on daily basis.
JPL assure that BRUIE or similar rovers could one day lead the exploration of outerspace water environments such as those found in Europa. The search for outer space oceans has proven that oceans in other planets and moons is usually found beneath a layer of ice. Technology must endure these harsh environments. The polar environments of Earth have become test-sites for the new technology developments. BRUIE -Buoyant Rover for Under-Ice Exploration can operate through satellite link and was tested in Alaska in an ice-water-ocean environment.
The Alaska testing -made public by National Geographic proved that while BRUIE accomplished mobility underwater wheeling beneath the ice surface its deep diving and aquatic dynamic mobility still required development.
“Scientists have already built rovers that can withstand the dry terrain of the Earth’s moon and Mars, but this is the first machine built to explore extraterrestrial aquatic bodies,” press reported.
If a rover is to explore the environment of Europa it will sure be one that can move with ease and travel great lengths autonomously. Polar ROVs operate constantly in the polar basins here on Earth and could serve as inspiration for teams developing the ladder that will take a Rover to Europa.
JPL says that BRUIE´s new updated software and system allow it to assess and transmit data to scientists.
NASA faces the challenge of landing a rover safe in the environment of Europa, penetrating its ice-layer and conducting scientifical research. Hard landing is discarded for Rover landing. Recent NASA’s Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator LDSD testings give an insight on how safe it is to land a rocker and dock on the ice surface of Europa. Ocean experts urge for more development, creative thinking and innovation to meet the goal of exploring outer space oceans.
In the search of outerspace ocean lifeforms dwelling in environments similar to those we find here on the polar ocean basins the word which describes the focus is “microorganisms”. Microorganisms if present in Europa's Ocean will not be scanned by camera viewing but rather more chemical and biological trails. Software and technology that can accomplish that tasks is in development. The potential for Europa to hold complex oceanic life forms is undoubtedly not discarded. It is more than likely that the life forms that exist are similar to those found here in ice environments. Abundant life forms found in these type of environments are micro-ocean-organisms such as bacteria, plankton, viruses, etc. Recent studies show that microorganism biodiversity of Earth's Arctic region is richer than originally believed.
Any rover exploring the waters of Europa would need to be equipped with more than just a camera to get the job done. Complex water testing, chemical water testing, ocean biology, ocean chemistry, complex mapping, sonar, detachable technology, argo and buoy inspired technology, these are the basis for modern ocean science.
Andy Klesh -lead investigator for the Rover tested by NASA’s JPL own told the media that BRUIE could also be used here on Earth to study the Arctic as well as the Antarctic. Klesh was sided by John Leichty and Josh Schoolcraft of JPL who acted as co-investigators on the project.
JPL communicated on June 25th from the California Science Center where BRUIE was tested “at the bottom of this 188,000-gallon aquatic tank, 7.3 meters under water”.
"A lot of what we do in deep space is applicable to the ocean," Klesh said. "This is an early prototype for vehicles that could one day go to Europa and other planetary bodies with a liquid ocean covered by ice. It's ideal for traveling under the ice shelf of an icy world."
"Our work aims to build a bridge between exploring extreme environments in our own ocean and the exploration of distant, potentially habitable oceans elsewhere in the solar system," said Kevin Hand, co-investigator for the rover and planetary scientist at JPL. Dan Berisford.
Comparing the rover JPL tested in California to that which wheeled below Alaska ice NASA says that “the new version is longer, has a thicker body and is designed for ocean depths up to about 200 meters”.
The central body contains computers, sensors and communication equipment. On either side of the central section is a "pod," each with sensors, lights, a camera, batteries, instruments and two motors. The software for this rover is similar to what is being used for Mars Cube One, two communication-relay CubeSats that will launch with NASA's InSight Mars lander in 2016.
"We're a long way off from exploring Europa's ocean, but the young children visiting the California Science Center and seeing our robot could be the ones building the vehicles that go there," Hand said.