Impossible Sensing LLC — National Aeronautics and Space Administration SBIR Phase I: S1

Description

Whether using meltprobes, mechanical drills, or hybrid approaches, Europa ice penetration systemsnbsp;will likely utilize tether to provide data communication to the lander, and possibly power from it.nbsp; Our innovation, Pulsed Waveguide Latency Spectral Receptor, PWLSR, leverages such tethered approaches to ice penetration. Adding a single dispersive optical fiber cable, PWLSR turns the tether into a spectrometer that obtains time-correlated in-situ spectroscopy information aboard Europa iceprobes. PWLSR is a cost-effective way to enhance the science return of subsurface Europa missions: it adds just 2 kg and 2,000 cc to the iceprobe and a 0.2 mm fiber cable to the tether, and returns compositional information of the subsurface as the iceprobe advances through the ice.PWLSRnbsp;focuses laser light into the the ice, collects scattered and re-emitted photons, and launches them into a dispersive optical fiber integrated into the tether connecting iceprobe and lander. The fiber is terminated in a retroflector at the surface end of the tether which reflects light back into the fiber. Photons return to the iceprobe, where they are routed into a detector and analyzed. Results are compressed and transmitted to lander using tethered and/or free-space communication system.nbsp; PWLSR fiber cable can be split into several segments, linked by fiber-optic connectors. This way, it can be housed into several spool bays that can be sequentially left behind in the ice once a spool is depleted.PWLSR combines, for the first time, deep subsurface access and laser spectroscopy to build a scientific instrument that addresses scientific objectives of future landed science missions to Ocean Worlds, particularly Europa.nbsp;nbsp;Developing PWLSR is a key, risk-reducing effort that paves the way for maturation of the instrument towards flight while also stimulating technological innovation both for commercial and federal use beyond planetary exploration.