Unity: Mission to Enceladus

Enceladus, one of Saturn’s moons, is considered a possible host for life. It has the essential ingredients for life, including phosphorus (first discovered beyond Earth), liquid water, and an energy source. Perhaps its most exhilarating features are the cryovolcanoes and subsurface liquid ocean spewing plumes. The prospect of finding life on Enceladus is truly exciting, and RPS can turn this into reality. Although Enceladus’s surface is not dark (due to its high reflectivity), using RPS will prove especially useful in exploring its deep subsurface oceans and other dimmer areas. Moreover, RPS enables long-distance travel with its extended lifespan. This aids long-term study of the icy moon. The heat produced by the system will also serve to keep the inner machinery and scientific equipment working even in the extreme cold temperatures. My mission will consist of an orbiter and rover. The orbiter can study the plumes ejected by Enceladus, while the rover will land and travel the surface, taking samples to examine its composition and history. In-depth exploration of its ocean and other features can confirm and expand on the findings from past missions like NASA’s Cassini. My curiosity and fascination in astronomy and the possibility of extraterrestrial life can help drive this mission. Additionally, my skills of communication and collaboration will be necessary to work in a team to successfully build the spacecraft. I believe that working together is crucial to missions like these, and our unique skill sets and diverse perspectives offer valuable insight, hence the name “Unity.”