How does life begin? The general idea for chemical evolution is: Organic matter + Liquid water + Energy = Life…Maybe

This is Europa Sixth moon of Jupiter 3,100 km in diameter (slightly smaller than our moon)

Why Europa? Possible ocean below the icy surface Possibility of hydrothermal vents (energy) Organics Conditions on Europa could have fostered life at one time

Galileo Spacecraft Launched in 1989 Ended in 2003 Jupiter Mission Magnetic data provided evidence that Europa may have a salt water ocean.

Europa Surface

This is Titan Largest moon of Saturn About 80% more massive than our moon

Why Titan? Possibility of liquid water Dense atmosphere Organics Methane or Ethane Lakes

How will we find out? Europa Hyrdrobot/Cryobot NASA-JIMO (Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter) Titan Cassini-Huygens Mission

What will we look for? Hydrobot/Cryobot (Proposed, not planned) Drill through ice crust Release “Hyrdobot” into hypothetical ocean Search for hydrothermal vents and micro-organisms NASA-JIMO (Canceled in 2005) Orbit Europa and map the planet Look for signatures of life ESA’s Europa Jupiter System Mission? We’ll know in 2013

Hydrobot/Cryobot

What will we look for? Cassini-Huygens : Cassini: Saturn Orbiter Huygens: Titan Probe Observe the surface Volcanoes, lakes, seas Water Organic profiles

Cassini-Huygens Launched in 1997 Cassini still functioning Huygens probe landed on Titan in 2005 Found: Methane and/or Ethane Lakes Hydrocarbon Sand Dunes Possibility of internal liquid water-ammonia ocean

Titan Sand Dunes Earth Sand Dunes

Methane and/or Ethane Lakes

Theorized that dark areas were liquid Cassini’s radar beams were reflected which usually indicates liquids At 94K, liquids were mostly likely to be methane and/or ethane Titan’s atmosphere contains methane

Ontario Lacus Contains Ethane Determined by Spectroscopy

Issues Oceans on Europa are still theoretical Direct investigation of ocean’s could lead to contamination Titan is very cold (94 K), and unlikely to support life