Instrumentation for in-situ exploration of Europa

对木卫二的原位探测是未来太空探测任务的重中之重。2015年，美国宇航局发布了一份社区公告，鼓励科学家们研究与欧罗巴着陆器任务兼容的科学仪器的可能性，该任务将运行大约一个月。这个由美国宇航局提出的木卫二着陆器任务还处于概念阶段。木星的卫星木卫二是探索潜在宜居世界和天体生物学的主要焦点之一。这是由于它的地下咸水海洋被强烈认为与岩石硅酸盐海底接触。这样的环境可能会提供理想的化学和能量平衡，就像地球的海底一样，可以在木卫二的海洋中孕育生命。这个研究项目将集中在小型化仪器上，以探索木卫二的物理和化学性质。与大多数太空任务一样，探索木星系统的航天器上仪器的质量和尺寸是此类任务的主要限制和关键参数，这就是为什么最小化这些是迈向成功的木卫二原位探测任务的极其重要的一步。此外，在木卫二冰冷的地壳中探索生命所必需的物理和化学性质或生物过程的化学迹象的小型仪器也可以适用于其他行星际任务，如在火星的极地帽中寻找生命或在其他冰冷的卫星（如土卫二）中寻找生命。

The in-situ exploration of Europa is a high priority for future space exploration missions. In 2015, NASA issued a community announcement encouraging scientists to investigate the possibilities of scientific instrumentation compatible with a Europa lander mission operating for approximately one month. This Europa lander mission proposed by NASA is in its conceptual stage.Jupiters moon Europa is one of the main focus points for the exploration of potentially habitable worlds and astrobiology. This is due to its sub-surface saline ocean strongly believed to be in contact with a rocky silicate ocean floor. Such an environment could potentially provide an ideal chemistry and energy balance, not unlike the Earths ocean floor, to harbour life in the ocean on Europa.This research project will focus on miniaturizing instrumentation to explore the physical and chemical properties of Europa. As with most space missions, the mass and size of the instruments on board a spacecraft exploring the Jovian system are the main constraints and key parameters for such a mission, which is why minimizing these is an extremely important step towards a successful Europa in-situ exploration mission. Additionally, miniaturized instruments exploring the physical and chemical properties necessary for life or chemical signs of biological processes in the icy crust of Europa could also be applicable and appealing for other interplanetary missions such as searching for life in the polar caps on Mars or other icy moons such as Enceladus.