Produced by: Tarun Mishra
A recent study conducted by planetary scientist and astrobiologist Fabian Klenner and his research team at the University of Washington sheds light on the potential for life on Saturn's moon Enceladus and explores methods for detecting extraterrestrial cells.
Fabian Klenner, along with his team, specializes in the exploration of icy moons in the solar system, with a particular emphasis on Enceladus and Jupiter's moon Europa.
Saturn boasts 146 confirmed moons, but Enceladus stands out due to its potential for harbouring life. Despite its small size, this moon possesses a liquid water ocean beneath its icy crust, covering its entire surface.
From 2004 to 2017, the Cassini spacecraft, a collaborative mission involving NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Italian Space Agency, extensively studied Saturn and its moons. The mission unveiled Enceladus' remarkable features, including geysers at its south pole that eject gas and ice grains into space.
Enceladus' ocean contains salt, carbon-based compounds, and undergoes tidal heating, providing the necessary conditions for life. Notably, researchers discovered phosphate, a vital compound for life on Earth, in ice grains originating from Enceladus' ocean.
Klenner's team conducted laboratory experiments to simulate the detection of extraterrestrial cells in ice grains. By employing mass spectrometry techniques, they assessed the feasibility of identifying cellular material using spacecraft dust analyzer instruments.
The study demonstrated that instruments onboard spacecraft could detect amino acids and fatty acids, indicative of cellular material. These findings contribute to the development of advanced instruments for future missions to Enceladus and Europa.
Enceladus has emerged as a key target for upcoming space missions, with both NASA and the European Space Agency prioritizing exploration of this intriguing moon. NASA's Europa Clipper mission, equipped with a Surface Dust Analyzer, aims to investigate Europa's potential for life.
With ongoing advancements in instrumentation and upcoming space missions, scientists anticipate groundbreaking discoveries regarding the possibility of life on Enceladus and Europa. Klenner's research paves the way for further exploration and understanding of these celestial bodies.