Europe want to send a "computer microprobes"

Fund to finance innovative concepts NASA provided a grant of $ 100 thousand. Research company Draper Laboratory, which offer the technology of remote sensing and planets their satellites using tens or hundreds of chip probes (ChipSat), each no larger than a coin.

First aim to test the new technology could be Europe - satellite of Jupiter, where it is assumed the presence of liquid water.

Small spacecraft weighing just a few pounds performs sensing in two stages. At the first stage it is gravity map to determine the estimated location of underground water reservoirs.



Then begins the second phase. In selected areas reset chip satellites (ChipSat). They will be able to overcome without damage thin atmosphere of Europe.



The developers believe that part of the microprobes be damaged if dropped, but most will be able to function normally. After landing, they begin to work and collect information on the composition of the soil. The collected data is sent back to the mother ship, and he translates them to Earth.

Source: habrahabr.ru/post/227249/