\n<\/p>\n
Titan is one of the solar system\u2019s most fascinating worlds for several reasons. It has something akin to a hydrological cycle, though powered by methane. It is the solar system\u2019s second-largest moonMooner our own. It is the only other body with liquid lakes on its surface. That\u2019s part of the reason it has attracted so much attention, including an upcoming mission known as Dragonfly that hopes to use its thick atmosphere to power a small helicopter. But some of the most interesting features on Titan are its lakes, and Dragonfly, given its means of locomotion, can\u2019t do much with those other than look at them from afar. So another mission, initially conceived by James McKevitt, then an undergraduate at Loughborough University but now a PhD student at University College London would take a look at both their surface and underneath.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n The mission, which has undergone several iterations, was initially designed to mimic the hunting motion of a gannet. This seabird famously dives under the water to search for fish and then floats back up to the top before setting off again. In the original paper describing the mission concept, Mr. McKevitt focused on the hydrodynamics of how such a mission would be possible on Titan, including the physics of diving into a lake of liquid methane without breaking the probe.<\/p>\n Luckily, the most fascinating lakes on Titan are all clustered around the north pole, so it would be theoretically possible to hop between one lake and another, given there was enough thrust\/power. However, as time went on, the original mission concept seemed less and less feasible \u2013 especially given the most required to both take off from a resting position on top of a lake and dive down deeply enough into the next lake to make a meaningful difference in the environment.<\/p>\n \n