Aster › Space program › Enceladus
Enceladus
Position on the route: 17/45 · level needed 115 · journey (Mk0 engine) 24.6 h
By the numbers
| Diameter | 504 km |
|---|---|
| Gravity | 0.113 m/s² |
| Albedo | 99 % |
| Feature | geysers at the south pole |
The story
Small but bright: its surface is clean ice and reflects nearly all light. Ice and water vapour erupt up to 500 km from the cracks near the south pole called ‘tiger stripes’. Cassini (2005) flew through the plume and found salt, organic molecules and hydrogen.
Hydrogen points to hydrothermal activity on the floor of the ocean under the ice crust, an environment like the deep vents of Earth’s oceans. It is among the hottest targets in the search for life beyond Earth.
Missions
- Voyager 2 (1981): smooth, young terrain
- Cassini (2005–2017): flights through the geysers
- Enceladus Orbilander (concept): a future life-searching mission
Colony note
Geyser water and ice aplenty; reaching the ocean under the ice is the great aim. Very low gravity.
What probes bring back
- Ice and water erupt from the ‘tiger stripes’ at the south pole; Cassini sampled it in 2005.
- Organic molecules and hydrogen were found in the plumes: a sign of hydrothermal activity.