TiME - Space submarine Bashny.Net

In 2009, the media wrote about the plans of NASA and ESA space relative to the first boat - a floating ship that would do research Lakes one of Saturn's moons. But in the context of the priority projects lost mission to Jupiter. After some time, NASA again raised the issue in 2012. After considering 28 projects in the finals three: a probe to Mars in the mission Insight, machine landing on a comet Comet Hopper and space boat called Titan Marine Explorer (TiME). Again, NASA made a choice not in favor TiME, opting for a probe to Mars. Currently NASA collect projects for Discovery Program and everyone is looking forward, fall back if TiME.





Titan
In 2004, the Cassini spacecraft using radar and infrared telescope was able to look under the deep orange clouds of Titan, the largest moon of Saturn. Scientists were amazed at what the landscape was very similar to the Earth, there were rivers, rain, clouds, lakes and seas - the first time that something like our landscape was found beyond Earth. However, unlike Earth, the seas and lakes on Titan are mainly composed of methane and ethane. Yet the question remains whether there swim? Some think so. Large liquid body as the sea Pung ( third largest body of liquid on Titan ), regarded by scientists as excellent platform for the study of early life forms and additional incentive for mission statement TiME. In the pictures below Titanium and its north pole.



The best time to explore the seas of Titan, which is located near its north pole, it's the first years of the 2020s years - during the end of summer in the north of the satellite. At this time, the lake is under daylight, and will be able to direct communication with the Earth without the use of special expensive equipment for the broadcast signal. But there is another problem - a shortage of plutonium. In space missions using radioisotope power sources, which have no alternative to the mission to Titan. And it's not just a problem for the TiME, but also for all the other missions. As of September 2013 plutonium-238 in the US is 16 pounds and all of them already painted for the next mission. Thus, if the mission is approved TiME NASA, the next run will be implemented only to the 2040th year when Titan will again end of summer at the North Pole.

TiME but not the only way the study of Titan, do not forget about satellites. After years of study, scientists have discovered a wavy surface on one of the seas of Titan. "If this finding is correct, it is the first detection of the waves of the sea beyond Earth," - writes in his пресс-релизе, published in March in the framework of the conference Lunar and Planetary Science, scientists from the University of Idaho. In the image below sea Punga heart-shaped picture on the left, while the blue arrow on the right of the picture marked possible waves.



Judging by the pictures, the researchers suggest that the wave 2 cm in height and they are formed by the wind speed at 2, 73km / h. Researchers can not say for sure because there are doubts that it may not be the wave of rock and mud on the sea surface. More situation should become clearer until 2017, when the wind, if any, should be strengthened in the northern region of Titan, and then the wave will have to become even greater.
frames, made in 2007, when the Cassini Huygens probe dropped to the satellite (13Mb)



More Information:
1. map north pole of Titan
2. Море Punga

Source: habrahabr.ru/post/226049/