If you mean a sample return mission I do not believe they are doing one,if you mean a sample collection and examination on site and then report ala Mars my probable Guess is 15/20 years takes a long time to get these things funded and then built also the launch window has to be just right for such a dedicated project.And it aint gonna be cheap!Just checked here http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/index.cfm?type=Future and no sample missions are planned.

---

Old enough to know better(but)still young enough not to care

erc1surf,
I agree with you. Forget Mars, we have sent loads of rover's and stuff to Mars. We badly need to get down into the possible liquid water ocean's that might exist on Europa or Enceladus.

I just find it difficult to imagine large bodies of liquid water on Europa or Enceladus that are complete sterile with zero life living in the water. If there is liquid water on Europa or Enceladus, i bet its full of life swimming around!

John.

---

Are these moons heated from the core by internal atomic reactions like our Earth. If not, the liquid may be frozen all the way down.. Do we know that the surface of Europa is frozen water ? It may be methane or carbon dioxide. Anybody know ?

The tidal forces from the massive planet may be enough to crack the ice even if it is many miles thick or solid all the way down to the core.

Since life abounds in the Arctic/Antarctic oceans at near freezing temperatures, I agree with Johnnie that if there is water it would very likely have life. Without sunlight though to power plankton, there would probably need to be hot fissures in their sea floor to provide the energy to start a food chain.

Yes, You and Johnny are probably correct. I watched a video about the ocean underneath the ice on Europa from Stephen Hawkings. They used thermal imaging to see the variances of heat within the underground ocean during a given cycle. There definitely is water (H20) underneath the ice on Europa. The surface of Europa is made out of frozen H20 not methane like Titan based on the frequencies from the Keck Observatory. Even the Griffith Park Observatory in Los Angeles kind of hint there's water underneath the ice. As far as living things, I think discovering microorganism is enough evidence to make ExtraTerrestrials or Ancient Astronauts very real and not Sci-Fi. The theory from NASA is microorganism plus (Charles Darwin-Origin of Species) 2 - 3 Billion years of evolution equates to intelligent life - like Homo Sapiens (Biologically). Here's the problem, if NASA, ESA, the Chinese, Russia etc. confirms and validates microorganism on Europa and others, there would be a social chaos specially within the Christian community just like the period when Charles Darwin published the book of "Origin of Species" during the 1800's. Either way, I still think there is life out there, getting to them is another story though.

Very interesting. I am not sure that 2 or 3 billion years would constitute intelligent life though. If that asteroid hadn't hit the Yucatan 65 million years ago, we wouldn't be here. There is a lot of pure chance that goes along with the correct conditions.

Steve

---

Warning, addicted to SETI crunching!
Crunching as a member of GPU Users Group.
GPUUG Website

This seems like a great idea for NASA to launch. But it would be far too expensive. Also, keep in mind, if some other intellegent life form is on any planet, we might not be able to find it because they do not have/need oxygyn, or anything that humans, and earth creatures need.

If you liked the movie "Contact" do yourself a favour and read the book!
It was written by Carl Sagan and as far as I know it was his only fictional piece.
Dr. Sagan was uniquely qualified to write this and through the use of characters
is able to put a face on the debate pro and con and other related issues.
It was very well written, covers a lot of concepts in very easy terms and provokes thought and discussion. The movie although entertaining does not do it justice at all.