The Dragonfly mission, part of NASA's New Frontiers program, aims to explore Titan, Saturn's largest moon, which is unique for having stable liquid on its surface, including hydrocarbon lakes and seas. Scheduled for launch in July 2028, the mission will utilize a drone to investigate Titan's environment for three weeks.
SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket will transport the lander module designed to collect samples from Titan's surface. Researchers are particularly interested in Titan due to its organic compounds, which are essential for life.
The mission intends to assess Titan's habitability by studying prebiotic chemistry and searching for chemical signs of possible water-based life or life that utilizes the moon's abundant hydrocarbons. NASA officials stated, “We chose to study this moon because it has very interesting characteristics related to the potential for life.”
Dragonfly's objectives include investigating Titan's potential to support life, with the spacecraft expected to take approximately six years to reach its destination. The lander, powered by nuclear energy, is projected to operate for about 2.5 Earth years, gathering extensive data and possibly evidence of life in Titan's surface or subsurface ocean.