donzzler t1_issoq1m wrote
I don’t think NASA would ever drill into the oceans of Europa or Enceladus due to the risk of contamination. I would love to see it though.
Dungeonmancer t1_issps6u wrote
There are geysers that shoot off into space that can be collected without drilling.
donzzler t1_issura1 wrote
I believe that the Cassini mission already did this
Dungeonmancer t1_ist05gb wrote
I believe you're right.
There are other ways to collect seawater without risking contamination, is my point. There was also a plan to drill a core, allow it to fill up and freeze, then extract the ice from the tube and study it that way. I'm not sure what the precautions against contamination are, but NASA has a department dedicated to keeping earth microbes out of possible extraterrestrial systems.
[deleted] t1_isubd92 wrote
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Wide-Escape-5618 OP t1_ists453 wrote
Imagine swimming around down there😮
donzzler t1_isubgbm wrote
Imagine what’s swimming around down there :)
Hercusleaze t1_isudfw4 wrote
Have you seen The Europa Report?
[deleted] t1_isuzbe7 wrote
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[deleted] t1_isuch8e wrote
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Hercusleaze t1_isudscg wrote
The water would be inky black due to no light penetrating the ice, and unimaginably deep. I would get anxious just watching footage from an autonomous submersible, nevermind being in a crewed submarine. Swimming there? Nah.
grchelp2018 t1_isu8e36 wrote
Surely the radiation on the surface of europa would sterilise any instrument.
Thoughtfulprof t1_isv1nbw wrote
There's at least one scientist saying that Europa has little surface radiation. I really want to see this published.
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