NASA’s snake-like robot to search for life on Saturn’s moon taking space exploration to next level
To scope into alien world, scientists believe to send robots first before humans. Historically, NASA has deployed a robot to send on Saturn’s moon to search for life taking exploration to next level.
Exobiology Extant Life Surveyor or EELS, is a system capable of exploring internal and enclosed dynamic territory structures to assess evidence for life. It’s special focus is on Encaladus, the sixth largest moon of Saturn. Discovered in 1789, it is a small and icy body. The Cassini spacecraft dubbed this icy moon to be one of the solar system’s ‘most scientifically interesting destinations’.
NASA’s science fiction movie
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), has developed a robotic concept that looks similar to a science-fiction movie and has the potential to take space exploration to the next level.
Scientists have been working on sending a snake-like robot to explore and search for extra-terrestrial life forms in the solar system.
This robot is an exobiology extant life surveyor (EELS) developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).
Designing Of Snake Robot
The robotic snake is specially designed to penetrate through the holes, crevices, and cracks across celestial objects and planets in our solar system, thereby exploring deep and difficult-to-reach places.
The best part is that this self-propelled snake robot has been designed to easily traverse diverse terrains such as water, sand, rock, and ice.
Similarly, this snake robot has the ability to change and adapt shape in response to the landscape. It also has rotating screws to grip and wiggle through ice structures.
As per JPL, “EELS uses first-of-a-kind rotating propulsion units that act as tracks, gripping mechanisms, and propeller units underwater, enabling the robot to access a plume vent exit and follow it to its ocean source.”
Analog Tests
According to a report, the team recently conducted Earth analog tests of the robot inside Canada’s Athabasca glacier and Mount Meager volcano.
However, this was the first step in analysing the robot’s resilience and navigation capabilities through rugged terrain. Furthermore, refining the ultimate mission’s design.
Moreover, the EELS initiative comes in the backdrop of discoveries made by the Cassini probe. This initiative explored Saturn, its rings, and moons for nearly 13 years.
Moreover, the JPL team is currently working on completing refinements to the EELS robot. If everything goes as planned, there’s a chance we’ll see a snake slithering through the icy surface of Saturn’s moon.
