NASA prepares small underwater robots for Europa’s icy ocean
NASA is advancing the search for extraterrestrial life by developing miniature underwater robots designed to explore alien oceans. Known as the Sensors with Independent Microswimmers (SWIM) Project, these robots underwent initial testing in a Caltech swimming pool and were eventually able to dive into the ocean below the surface. Jupiter’s moon Europa.
Europa’s potential for life
The SWIM initiative fits into NASA’s broader goal of testing whether extraterrestrial environments could support life. Slated for launch in 2030, the Europa Clipper mission will perform flybys to investigate the moon’s ice-covered ocean. Based on this mission, SWIM envisions deploying a team of mobile phone-sized robots beneath Europa’s thick ice to look for chemical signals and temperature changes, important signs importance of life.
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Once transported by an ice-penetrating cryobot, the robots will operate autonomously, spreading out to cover a large area. Recent experiments have demonstrated the ability to perform search patterns in water and respond to simulated environmental signals. NASA engineers also conducted simulations simulating Europa’s extreme conditions to fine-tune the robots’ capabilities, ensuring they balance exploration efficiency with limited battery life.
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Advances in robot design and testing
Ethan Schaler, SWIM principal investigator at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, tick importance of the project. He explains that finding environments suitable for life requires exploring water-based systems, which means creating autonomous robots capable of operating far from Earth.
The prototypes, which measured about 16.5 inches during testing, successfully navigated through water and even performed complex movements like spelling out “JPL.” Future versions will be smaller, about 5 inches long, equipped with sensors to measure temperature, pressure and chemical composition. Engineers at Georgia Tech are also contributing by developing a compact sensor chip to collect environmental data.
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The potential applications of the SWIM robot extend beyond icy moons. They can support oceanographic studies or explore subpolar ice on Earth, collecting important data. Supported by NASA’s innovative Advanced Concepts program, the SWIM project represents a step forward in both space exploration and robotics technology, paving the way for future missions to distant ocean worlds sticky rice.
