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Saturns Moon Titan

All articles tagged with #saturns moon titan

science2 years ago

"Unraveling the Mystery of Saturn's Moon Titan's Floating 'Magic Islands'"

New research suggests that the mysterious "magic islands" on Saturn's moon Titan, which appear and disappear on its methane lakes, may be explained by floating chunks of frozen organic material. These islands behave similarly to pumice floating on water on Earth, staying afloat for a period before eventually sinking due to the seepage of methane. This study sheds light on the unusual phenomena observed on Titan, providing a familiar explanation for an unfamiliar planetary process.

via Livescience.com|
#magic-islands#methane-lakes#organic-material
space-science2 years ago

"Unraveling the Mystery of Titan's Honeycomb-Shaped 'Magic Islands' on Saturn's Moon"

Scientists have proposed that the floating "magic islands" observed on Saturn's moon Titan are actually clumps of glacier-like snow shaped like honeycomb, formed from porous, frozen organic solids accumulating after snowing from the moon's sky. Research suggests that these snow clumps could float on the moon's liquid methane and ethane lakes if they are large enough and porous, similar to how ice sheets break away from glaciers on Earth. The study also explains why Titan's bodies of liquid are peaceful with small waves, attributing it to a fine floating blanket of frozen solids.

via Space.com|
#magic-islands#organic-solids#saturns-moon-titan
space2 years ago

NASA's Dragonfly Mission: Review and Launch Date Postponed

NASA has postponed the Dragonfly mission to Saturn's moon Titan by a year due to budget uncertainty. The formal confirmation of the mission, which sets the official cost and schedule, has been delayed until early 2024. Despite the funding challenges, NASA will allow some elements of the mission's design and fabrication to proceed. The Dragonfly mission aims to send a drone to Titan to explore regions that may have once supported life. The new launch readiness date is now set for July 2028.

via SpaceNews|
#budget-uncertainty#dragonfly-mission#launch-delay
space2 years ago

Dragonfly mission threatened by budget cuts.

NASA's proposed budget cut of nearly 20% for the Dragonfly mission to Saturn's moon Titan in 2024 could force changes to the mission or its schedule. The budget proposal reflects an 18.1% reduction from the $400.1 million Dragonfly received in fiscal year 2023. The proposed cut has gotten the attention of members of Congress. The pandemic has been one key factor in rising costs of planetary missions in general. Curt Niebur, lead scientist for flight programs in NASA’s planetary science division, said that planetary missions are overrunning their estimated costs for operations by an average of 52% over their original proposals.

via SpaceNews|
#budget-cut#dragonfly#nasa