CHIP – Cracking Callisto’s Frozen Code

Untouched by time and waiting to be explored, Callisto’s frozen, cratered surface is one of the solar system’s greatest mysteries. Callisto’s craters have preserved material from the early solar system, potentially trapping chemical signatures of past water-rock interactions. My mission, the Callisto Hidden Ice Probe (CHIP), will analyze these frozen clues to uncover how Jupiter’s moons evolved and whether conditions once existed that could support life. CHIP consists of an RPS-powered orbiter and lander, built to adapt to Callisto’s conditions. Since Callisto’s ocean could lie over 100 km beneath the surface, direct drilling isn’t feasible. Instead, CHIP will search for clues in impact craters—natural windows into the moon’s interior. The orbiter will use ground-penetrating radar to map ice thickness and identify fresh craters that may have exposed buried material. The lander will analyze crater deposits, using a spectrometer to detect salts, organics, and water remnants that could hint at the hidden ocean’s composition. A neutron spectrometer will help detect buried ice and hydrogen. MMRTG, a type of RPS, is critical for CHIP’s success. Callisto’s distance from the Sun makes solar power unreliable, and its frigid environment would drain battery-powered systems too quickly. CHIP’s modular power system will reroute energy between instruments, making sure of long-term operation for months or even years. Just as NASA engineers have had to rethink their approach in the face of the unexpected, I thrive on solving problems in uncertain conditions. My power is adaptability—the ability to turn obstacles into opportunities, thinking creatively under pressure and adjusting when things don’t go as planned. Because taking on challenges and embracing them with joy is the key to exploration.