Scientists have long dreamed of exploring the hidden oceans beneath the ice of Europa, Enceladus and other icy regions, such as the permanently dark craters on the Moon or the poles of Mars. But there's a problem – to do this you need to drill holes in the tape. Space portal.com speak about an invention that can help make this happen.
Traditional melt drills and probes are heavy, complex machines that consume enormous amounts of energy. But researchers at the Technical University of Dresden have developed a potential solution: a laser ice drill that can drill deep channels with light weight and low power consumption.
The reality is that mechanical drills get heavier with hole depth, because they extend the rods lower and the fusing probes rely on long, power-hungry cables. Laser drills avoid both of these problems by keeping all the tools on the surface. The technology uses focused beams that do not melt but vaporize the ice – scientists call this phenomenon sublimation.
The water vapor escapes to the surface through a borehole large enough to collect gas and dust samples. In contrast, surface-based instruments can instantly analyze the chemical composition and density of these samples, which can provide valuable information about the thermal properties and formation history of the object.
While a laser isn't the most energy-efficient tool, the hole is only slightly wider than a pin – the drill uses even less energy than a home heater. It also operates faster in dust-filled layers that slow down conventional melt probes, allowing it to drill deeper channels without additional cost.
According to German experts, a laser-based device will make studying the depths of icy satellites more realistic. Their device must operate at a power of about 150 W with an expected mass of 4 kg, maintained regardless of depth – at least 10 m, at least 10 km. However, the scientists also clarified that mass spectrometers for gas analysis and dust separation tools will increase the requirements of the drill.
The first tests show that this device has promise. The prototype drilled holes into ice samples about 20 cm thick in vacuum under cryogenic conditions. And in real-life tests in the Alps and the Arctic, it reached depths of up to 1 meter under snow.
That said, laser-based tools do have limitations. So, in ice-free rocks or dust layers, drilling will stop – you will have to make a new hole in the surface to get around the obstacle. Water-filled cracks can also be a problem, requiring the tool to pump out the water before drilling deeper. At the same time, such areas can become useful for science as they can help in the study of microbial life.
Scientists now aim to miniaturize the system, develop a dust separation module and complete space quality tests. In the future, a compact version of the laser drill may appear on one of the icy satellites to unravel the secrets hidden under thick alien ice.
