NASA engineers and specialists at the University of Washington are working together to create a submarine that can help scientists to study the sea Titan, moon of Saturn. A few years ago, this “alien submarine” was only a concept, but now developers are testing the early prototype and even create for these purposes, artificial sea of methane and ethane.
On Titan, there are many rivers, lakes and seas, made up of methane. On Earth it is present in the gaseous state, but the Titan completely different conditions, and the temperature too far from ours so there’s liquid methane, and this means that it is possible to swim, while conducting research.
Pressure and low temperature, as well as other unpleasant nuances that can significantly hamper the process of research, photo and video, so now scientists are trying to solve the problem. The recent test, a special camera and borescope gave a positive result, which is very encouraging.
NASA plans to send submarine to Titan in the next 20 years, and while testing a prototype in an artificial sea of methane and ethane, the temperature of which is 180 degrees Celsius. Submarine over which scientists work, will operate autonomously, gathering data about oceanic and atmospheric conditions of Titan.
A submarine for Titan test in artificial methane sea
Vyacheslav Larionov