Europa Submersible Probe
Second of a pair. A remote-controlled submersible probe
pokes around beneath the icy mantle of Europa. The probe is designed to
fit down a narrow hole, with the lights mounted on deployable rods, and
small motorized wheels mounted on the fairings (hard to see here).
Antennae trail behind. Power and warmth are provided by a SNAP
generator near the rear. Stereo cameras are in front. Water intakes
for chemical analysis are behind the front fairing. Attitude control is
provided by small thrusters. Main propulsion comes from a small propellor equipped with a Kort nozzle.
This version is fanciful in that
it implies the sub came down through an opening in the ice, exposing
the water to space. In reality such a water/space interface would
sputter and spume with simultaneous boiling and freezing.
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