Unveiling the Possible Subterranean Sea of Pluto: if the 'Queen of the Underworld' can embark on this journey
The Persephone mission, a proposed follow-up to NASA's New Horizons Pluto flyby, aims to orbit Pluto for approximately three years, providing a comprehensive study of the dwarf planet and searching for evidence of a subsurface ocean potentially harbouring life.
If approved, the mission would take approximately 27 years to reach Pluto, with the total mission duration possibly spanning up to 50 years, including extended operations beyond the primary objectives.
The scientific goals of the Persephone mission are threefold. First, it will carry out detailed mapping of Pluto's surface and atmosphere. Second, it will search for signs of a subsurface ocean kept liquid by tidal forces from Pluto’s interaction with its moon Charon. Third, it will investigate ongoing geological activity on Pluto.
To achieve these objectives, the mission will be equipped with around 11 advanced instruments, including those used in previous missions but with some alterations. These instruments will study Pluto’s geology, atmosphere, and potential ocean.
The primary question the Persephone mission seeks to answer is whether Pluto has a subsurface ocean today. It will do this by studying the composition of Pluto and Charon, using gravity and topography measurements similar to those taken of Saturn's moon Enceladus.
The mission will also take more detailed spectra for Pluto's moons Nix, Hydra, Styx, and seek to determine the debris on their surfaces. It will also study the surroundings of Charon.
The Persephone mission requires five Next-Generation Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (NGRTGs) for power. Launch opportunities for the mission are available every year from 2029 to 2032.
The estimated price tag for the Persephone mission is $3 billion, classifying it as a Flagship-level mission due to its complexity, duration, and power requirements. The long travel time, the need for multiple RTGs, and the high mission cost make it a challenge for approval and funding. However, technology improvements in power sources could improve its likelihood in the future.
The Persephone mission is part of NASA's Planetary Mission Concept Study. If successful, it could reshape our knowledge about icy bodies in the outer solar system and inform theories about the potential for life in such extreme environments.
It's important to note that the sun takes just over 5.5 hours for light to reach Pluto. This means that the dwarf planet experiences a dim and distant sun, which presents unique challenges for any mission aiming to study it.
In summary, the Persephone mission represents an ambitious, decades-long effort to orbit and deeply study Pluto, taking the next step from New Horizons’ brief flyby to unlock key secrets such as the nature of Pluto’s subsurface ocean and active geology. However, it remains a concept awaiting funding and approval, dependent on advances in power and mission technology.
[1] NASA's Persephone Mission Concept Study (https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/persephonefs.html) [2] Persephone: A Mission to Pluto's Moons (https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=7432) [3] The Persephone Mission: A Deep Dive into Pluto's Secrets (https://www.universetoday.com/153764/the-persephone-mission-a-deep-dive-into-plutos-secrets/)
- The Persephone mission, a potential successor to NASA's New Horizons Pluto flyby, seeks to delve into the intricacies of Pluto for approximately three years, exploring its surface, atmosphere, and potentially detecting a subsurface ocean that could harbor life.
- If given the green light, this mission would take approximately 27 years to reach Pluto, with the total mission duration potentially extending to 50 years due to extended operations beyond primary objectives.
- The Persephone mission's scientific objectives include detailed surface and atmosphere mapping, searching for signs of a subsurface ocean, and investigating ongoing geological activity on Pluto.
- To accomplish these tasks, the mission will be outfitted with around 11 advanced instruments, some of which have been altered from those used in previous missions.
- The mission's primary focus is to ascertain whether Pluto hosts a subsurface ocean today, a question it aims to answer by studying the composition of Pluto and its moon Charon through gravity and topography measurements.
- In addition, the Persephone mission plans to take more detailed spectra of Pluto's moons Nix, Hydra, Styx, and examine the debris on their surfaces, as well as study the surroundings of Charon.
