Jupiter robot tested
Jupiter's moon Europa has a frozen surface
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Monday, 11, Feb 2008 03:52
A robot designed to explore under the ice of Jupiter's moon Europa is to be tested this week by researchers on Earth.
The Robotic Antarctic Ice Explorer is an autonomous underwater vehicle that can swim untethered under ice.
It was developed by Nasa's astrobiology science and technology for exploring planets programme and cost $2.3 million (£1.18 million).
By moving unhindered the robot can create three-dimensional maps of underwater environments, while also being able to collect data on conditions in those environments and take samples of microbial life.
Scientists hope to use the robot in a possible underwater exploration mission on Europa far in the future.
They will test it between February 12th and 15th in Lake Mendota on the campus of the University of Wisconsin.
Following these experiments researchers then plan to ship the probe to a permanently frozen lake in Antarctica for operations later this year.
The Robotic Antarctic Explorer is a follow-up to the Deep Phreatic Thermal Explorer, a NASA-funded project that completed a series of underwater field tests in Mexico in 2007.