NASA’s Dragonfly rotorcraft

October 11, 2022

Dragonfly rotorcraft will be launched by the American space agency in 2027 to study Titan – the largest moon of Saturn.

Key facts

Dragonfly rotorcraft is scheduled to be launched in 2027 and reach the Selk Crater region on Titan in the year 2034.
The spacecraft, weighing less than 1,000 pounds, will look similar to a military transport helicopter.
It will operate like a drone to understand the composition of Titan and conduct research to understand the origin of life on Earth.
This would be the first aircraft on the Saturn’s moon and the first-ever fully controlled atmospheric flight on any moon.
It will be the first flying machine targeting a celestial body in the outer solar system.
Titan is the target of NASA’s Dragonfly rotorcraft since it is an ideal destination to research prebiological chemistry, astrobiology and the potential habitability of an extra-terrestrial world.
Using all the radar images from Cassini spacecraft for over 13 years, scientists have successfully characterized Selk Crater region – the future destination of the Dragonfly rotorcraft.
Researchers used angled shadows and radar reflectivity to accurately determine the surface’s properties. They were able to map 6 terrains in the site, which helped them measure the rim height of the Selk Crater.
This will enable the smooth landing of the NASA rotorcraft and help in its accurate exploration of Titan.
Dragonfly is set to land on an equatorial, dry region of the Saturn’s moon, which has frigid and thick atmosphere having hydrocarbon.
While liquid methane rain frequently occurs in Titan, it is more like a desert seen on the Earth, with the presence of dunes, small mountains and an impact crater.
Using the data obtained from the Cassini spacecraft, scientists were able to analyse less than 10 per cent of Titan’s surface. This means that there is a possibility of the presence of small rivers and landscapes that remain unnoticed.

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