The TRIPLE/nanoAUV initiative a technology development initiative to support astrobiological exploration of ocean worlds

Abstract

From a scientific point of view, the exploration of oceans on other planets and moons in our solar system is extremely enticing, however, from a technical point of view, it is an almost insurmountable challenge. It is this particular combination of space and ocean-going equipment that makes developing a coherent system such a demanding task. The TRIPLE/nanoAUV Initiative, where the acronym TRIPLE stands for “Technologies for Rapid Ice Penetration and subglacial Lake Exploration”, is intended to specifically address the design and realization of an autonomous underwater vehicle, the nanoAUV, for future space missions that can be operated in conjunction with melting probes for reaching subglacial lakes or ocean waters. Any conceivable technical concept has to first undergo extensive testing in appropriate Earth-analogue environments which at least come close to the actual conditions that are expected on the envisaged space mission in order to provide an indication of the technical feasibility. For the time being Antarctica appears to be the most favorable region for the anticipated test missions including reaching subglacial lakes like the one in the Dome C region although other regions like Devon Ice Cap in Canada will be considered as well. It is not just the basic physical conditions such as a thick ice cover above liquid water/seawater but also the sparsity of microbial life forms that makes it a good Earth-analogue environment [1] as it poses similar challenges to the deployed systems as found on space missions. Just recently, it was discerned that the basic requirements of a planetary mission, melting through the ice and deploying robotic systems into the water body below, are perfectly matching the interest of terrestrial scientific missions. The recent larger breaks off of the Antarctic ice shelf have exposed pristine ocean regions that due to their difficult accessibility necessitate the use of robotic exploration tools. This momentum shall be used to get one step closer to a future planetary mission by evaluating related scientific and technical concepts in Earth-analogue environments.