Bethany Ehlmann, president of The Planetary Society, joins FOX Weather to discuss how a NASA spacecraft detected a “once-in-a-lifetime” lunar crater during a routine data quality check. There is now the possibility of obtaining a personalized boarding pass to space without even stepping aboard a spacecraft. a chance to send their names to Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, aboard the agency’s Dragonfly helicopter. Submitted names will be placed on a chip that will be on board the spacecraft, and participants will receive a personalized boarding pass and their names will be added to Dragonfly’s passenger list. The public can submit their names to NASA to be aboard the agency’s Dragonfly helicopter. (NASA/NASA) The spacecraft is scheduled to launch in 2028 and travel nearly a billion miles to reach Titan. The public has until January 15, 2027, at 11:59 pm EST to secure a spot on the mission. NASA’S PLAN TO BUILD A MOON BASE STARTS WITH THESE ROVERS According to NASA, Titan is a world with rivers, lakes, changing seasons, wide dunes and a landscape rich in organic matter. subject. Dragonfly is expected to arrive in 2034, where it will investigate the chemistry of the moon and uncover clues about ingredients that may have helped the development of life. Artist’s concept of Dragonfly on the surface of Titan. (Johns Hopkins APL/NASA)Dragonfly will use its helicopter to travel several kilometers across Titan’s surface during its planned 3.3-year mission. As it flies through Titan’s yellowish haze, smog, and nitrogen-rich atmosphere, Dragonfly will visit a variety of geological sites, collecting samples of surface material for analysis aboard the helicopter. “It’s not a mission to detect life, it’s a mission to investigate the chemistry that preceded biology here on Earth,” said Zibi Turtle, Dragonfly principal investigator and planetary scientist at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. The Dragonfly helicopter is expected to arrive at Titan in 2034. (NASA/NASA) Dragonfly is expected to complete a flight every one or two days on Titan, known as sol. Each sol lasts approximately 16 Earth days. HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER During its mission, Dragonfly will investigate the extent to which prebiotic chemistry has progressed, identify compounds and look for chemical indicators that may indicate water- or hydrocarbon-based life. A nearly billion-mile journey lies ahead, and the public has the opportunity to be a part of it, without having to leave Earth.
