Dragonfly: In Situ Exploration of Titan's Prebiotic Organic Chemistry and Habitability
Abstract
Titan's abundant complex carbon-rich chemistry, interior ocean, and past presence of liquid water on the surface, make it an ideal destination to study prebiotic chemical processes and to document the habitability of an extraterrestrial environment. Moreover, Titan's dense atmosphere and low gravity provide the means to access different geologic settings over 10s - 100s of kilometers apart, via exploration by an aerial vehicle. Dragonfly is a rotorcraft lander mission proposed to New Frontiers to use Titan's unique natural laboratory to understand how far chemistry can progress in environments that provide key ingredients for life.
- Publication:
-
European Planetary Science Congress
- Pub Date:
- September 2017
- Bibcode:
- 2017EPSC...11..349T