NASA announced this week that it has selected SpaceX to provide launch services for its Dragonfly mission to explore Saturn’s moon Titan.
In May, the space agency gave the Dragonfly rotorcraft mission the green light after overcoming hurdles from COVID-19 delays and budget overruns.
The autonomously operated nuclear-powered rotorcraft is set to embark on its groundbreaking journey to Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, sometime between July 5-25, 2028.
The payload will be launched using a SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
SPACEX GETS CLOSER TO HUGE INCREASE IN ANNUAL TEXAS LAUNCHES AS FAA ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ADVANCES SpaceX and NASA agreed on a contract valued at about $256.6 million, which includes launch services and other mission-related costs.
This week, NASA revealed that SpaceX has been chosen to supply launch services for its Dragonfly mission, which will investigate Titan, Saturn’s moon.
The space agency cleared the Dragonfly rotorcraft mission in May, despite delays and budget overruns caused by COVID-19.
Between July 5 and 25, 2028, the autonomous nuclear-powered rotorcraft is scheduled to set out on its historic mission to Titan, Saturn’s largest moon. A SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida’s Launch Complex 39A will lift off the payload.
The mission will advance humanity’s search for the building blocks of life by sampling materials and determining the surface composition in different geologic settings, according to NASA.
As FAA environmental assessment advances, spacex gets closer to a significant increase in annual Texas launches.
A deal worth roughly $256.6 million, which covers launch services and other mission-related expenses, was reached between SpaceX and NASA.
NASA refused to comment on other proposals, citing the sensitivity of the information.
An inquiry from FOX Business was not answered by SpaceX.
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Titan, the second-largest moon in our solar system and the only one with a dense atmosphere other than Earth, is situated roughly 746 million miles from Earth.
Titan’s organic chemistry is what makes it so special. Its atmosphere is rich in nitrogen and methane, which makes it a haven for researchers trying to figure out what makes life possible.
The moon’s swamp-like surface, which is made of petroleum waste, presents a number of exploration challenges, however.
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Because Titan’s surface is sandy and icy, traditional rovers would not perform well there. For this reason, the Dragonfly, a rotorcraft driven by a radio thermal generator, is being used.
Utilizing aluminum/titan rotors, the device conducts geological surveys and looks for biosignatures while leaping across Titan’s mountainous and volcanic terrain.
A more potent rocket is required to guarantee Dragonfly’s arrival on Titan due to the mission’s delay, notwithstanding financial arguments. The $335 billion mission demonstrates NASA’s dedication to expanding the frontiers of space exploration.
