8/12/2019 Europa AUV

1/2

AUV to EuropaRyan OConnor (133833)

As the distance from Earth to Europa is approximately 588 (at its closest) to 968 (at itsfurthest) million km (Redd, 2012), it would be best to send the most advanced autonous

system. There will be a need for four separate Autonomous systems, these are detailed below;

1. Stage 1: this will be the main rocket which will be used to send the system out ofearths orbit and into the Europas orbit. The design of the rocket will be left to

NASA and NASA JPL.

2. Stage 2: Once the system has entered Europas orbit, it will require a vehicle to landthe AUV and drill safely on the surface of Europa.

3. Stage 3: this stage will require a nuclear powered heat probe, which will be used todeliver the AUV to the ocean under the Ice.

4. Stage 4: The final stage is the AUV which will be used for water sampling andsearching for life.

SystemsThese are details of the systems to be placed on each stage.

Stage 1

This is the main rocket used to send the AUV to Europa. As weight is always an issue with

rockets, this one will be designed around the AUV.

Stage 2

This stage will require sensors which will be able to scan the surface of Europa to determine

a safe and ideal landing site for the AUV. Once it has set the landing craft (stage 2 and 4) on

an entry trajectory it will then be used as a communications satellite which will send any data

gained from the AUV to Earth.

Stage 3

The landing stage will require a launcher which will be used to deploy the nuclear powered

heat probe with the AUV. An umbilical will be connected to the probe which will be used to

relay data from the AUV to the launcher and then onto the satellite in orbit, the launcher will

require at least 2025 km of ice (ESS 298, 2013).

Stage 4

The AUV will have very little communication with Earth due to the 53 min communications

delay between Europa and Earth (Communication Delay, 2013), this delay will be taken into

account should there be a need to send commands to the AUV. The AUV will be powered by

a nuclear generator. This AUV will require an array of sensors;

8/12/2019 Europa AUV

2/2

Sonar: this will be used to determine depth/distance to obstacles around the AUV. Infrared Sensors: This will direct the AUV to any geothermal vents. Camera: this will be used to take good old fashion happy snaps for the family album.

ReferencesRedd. N. T. (2012)How Far Away is Jupiter. Retrieved September 15, 2013. From

http://www.space.com/18383-how-far-away-is-jupiter.html

Communication Delay. (2013). Retrieved September 15, 2013. From

http://www.spaceacademy.net.au/spacelink/commdly.htm

ESS 298. (2013).How Thick is Europas Ice Shell Crust?. Retrieved from

https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja

&ved=0CCwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.ess.ucla.edu%2F~nimmo%2Fess

298%2Fstudent_presentations%2FEuropa.ppt&ei=0fA4UsPqG8a8iAeFj4DwDQ&usg

=AFQjCNH6Fi2BvUe-

Q55uWyFiiUTrtxbJow&sig2=uCCH4R7SrjN5rQPcI8du6w&bvm=bv.52164340,bs.1,

d.aGc

http://www.space.com/18383-how-far-away-is-jupiter.htmlhttp://www.space.com/18383-how-far-away-is-jupiter.htmlhttp://www.spaceacademy.net.au/spacelink/commdly.htmhttp://www.spaceacademy.net.au/spacelink/commdly.htmhttps://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.ess.ucla.edu%2F~nimmo%2Fess298%2Fstudent_presentations%2FEuropa.ppt&ei=0fA4UsPqG8a8iAeFj4DwDQ&usg=AFQjCNH6Fi2BvUe-Q55uWyFiiUTrtxbJow&sig2=uCCH4R7SrjN5rQPcI8du6w&bvm=bv.52164340,bs.1,d.aGchttps://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.ess.ucla.edu%2F~nimmo%2Fess298%2Fstudent_presentations%2FEuropa.ppt&ei=0fA4UsPqG8a8iAeFj4DwDQ&usg=AFQjCNH6Fi2BvUe-Q55uWyFiiUTrtxbJow&sig2=uCCH4R7SrjN5rQPcI8du6w&bvm=bv.52164340,bs.1,d.aGchttps://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.ess.ucla.edu%2F~nimmo%2Fess298%2Fstudent_presentations%2FEuropa.ppt&ei=0fA4UsPqG8a8iAeFj4DwDQ&usg=AFQjCNH6Fi2BvUe-Q55uWyFiiUTrtxbJow&sig2=uCCH4R7SrjN5rQPcI8du6w&bvm=bv.52164340,bs.1,d.aGchttps://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.ess.ucla.edu%2F~nimmo%2Fess298%2Fstudent_presentations%2FEuropa.ppt&ei=0fA4UsPqG8a8iAeFj4DwDQ&usg=AFQjCNH6Fi2BvUe-Q55uWyFiiUTrtxbJow&sig2=uCCH4R7SrjN5rQPcI8du6w&bvm=bv.52164340,bs.1,d.aGchttps://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.ess.ucla.edu%2F~nimmo%2Fess298%2Fstudent_presentations%2FEuropa.ppt&ei=0fA4UsPqG8a8iAeFj4DwDQ&usg=AFQjCNH6Fi2BvUe-Q55uWyFiiUTrtxbJow&sig2=uCCH4R7SrjN5rQPcI8du6w&bvm=bv.52164340,bs.1,d.aGchttps://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.ess.ucla.edu%2F~nimmo%2Fess298%2Fstudent_presentations%2FEuropa.ppt&ei=0fA4UsPqG8a8iAeFj4DwDQ&usg=AFQjCNH6Fi2BvUe-Q55uWyFiiUTrtxbJow&sig2=uCCH4R7SrjN5rQPcI8du6w&bvm=bv.52164340,bs.1,d.aGchttps://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.ess.ucla.edu%2F~nimmo%2Fess298%2Fstudent_presentations%2FEuropa.ppt&ei=0fA4UsPqG8a8iAeFj4DwDQ&usg=AFQjCNH6Fi2BvUe-Q55uWyFiiUTrtxbJow&sig2=uCCH4R7SrjN5rQPcI8du6w&bvm=bv.52164340,bs.1,d.aGchttps://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.ess.ucla.edu%2F~nimmo%2Fess298%2Fstudent_presentations%2FEuropa.ppt&ei=0fA4UsPqG8a8iAeFj4DwDQ&usg=AFQjCNH6Fi2BvUe-Q55uWyFiiUTrtxbJow&sig2=uCCH4R7SrjN5rQPcI8du6w&bvm=bv.52164340,bs.1,d.aGchttps://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.ess.ucla.edu%2F~nimmo%2Fess298%2Fstudent_presentations%2FEuropa.ppt&ei=0fA4UsPqG8a8iAeFj4DwDQ&usg=AFQjCNH6Fi2BvUe-Q55uWyFiiUTrtxbJow&sig2=uCCH4R7SrjN5rQPcI8du6w&bvm=bv.52164340,bs.1,d.aGchttps://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.ess.ucla.edu%2F~nimmo%2Fess298%2Fstudent_presentations%2FEuropa.ppt&ei=0fA4UsPqG8a8iAeFj4DwDQ&usg=AFQjCNH6Fi2BvUe-Q55uWyFiiUTrtxbJow&sig2=uCCH4R7SrjN5rQPcI8du6w&bvm=bv.52164340,bs.1,d.aGchttps://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.ess.ucla.edu%2F~nimmo%2Fess298%2Fstudent_presentations%2FEuropa.ppt&ei=0fA4UsPqG8a8iAeFj4DwDQ&usg=AFQjCNH6Fi2BvUe-Q55uWyFiiUTrtxbJow&sig2=uCCH4R7SrjN5rQPcI8du6w&bvm=bv.52164340,bs.1,d.aGchttps://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.ess.ucla.edu%2F~nimmo%2Fess298%2Fstudent_presentations%2FEuropa.ppt&ei=0fA4UsPqG8a8iAeFj4DwDQ&usg=AFQjCNH6Fi2BvUe-Q55uWyFiiUTrtxbJow&sig2=uCCH4R7SrjN5rQPcI8du6w&bvm=bv.52164340,bs.1,d.aGchttps://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.ess.ucla.edu%2F~nimmo%2Fess298%2Fstudent_presentations%2FEuropa.ppt&ei=0fA4UsPqG8a8iAeFj4DwDQ&usg=AFQjCNH6Fi2BvUe-Q55uWyFiiUTrtxbJow&sig2=uCCH4R7SrjN5rQPcI8du6w&bvm=bv.52164340,bs.1,d.aGchttp://www.spaceacademy.net.au/spacelink/commdly.htmhttp://www.space.com/18383-how-far-away-is-jupiter.html