NASA’s Dragonfly Lander is set to land directly on a world often described as an extraterrestrial version of Earth, with landscapes remarkably similar to our own and a high potential for life.
Dragonfly on Shangri-La – (Graphic image from NASA).
According to NASA, the Dragonfly mission will take place in 2027, targeting Titan, Saturn’s moon. It is expected to reach its destination by 2034 and will land in an extremely interesting area: Shangri-La Dune Fields near the Selk Impact Crater.
Titan is one of the most “life-bearing moons” that this space agency has “carefully monitored” over the years, particularly due to the numerous signs observed by the Cassini spacecraft, indicating that it could potentially host life.
Not only does Titan feature landscapes similar to Earth, with the possibility of subsurface oceans and signs of tectonic activity, but this moon has also “spouted” organic materials directly at the Cassini spacecraft multiple times.
According to Science Alert, American scientists have conducted a new study to map six specific regions of Titan, identifying areas likely covered by dunes and frozen ground that could be penetrable.
Planetary scientist Léa Bonneyfoy from Cornell University in New York stated that the landing zone for the Dragonfly is the arid equatorial region of Titan, a cold, dense hydrocarbon world.
Sometimes, the Shangri-La dune fields experience liquid methane rain; however, overall, it resembles conditions found in a desert on Earth.
Data from Cassini has also allowed scientists to accurately simulate this area, while information from the Huygens lander, which accompanied Cassini, has helped refine the data. This map will equip Dragonfly with the best navigation tools to “solo” explore Titan.
