NASA has chosen SpaceX to launch the Dragonfly mission. Its goal is to land a drone on Titan, the only moon of a planet in the Solar System that has a full-fledged atmosphere.
The Dragonfly mission was approved in 2019. As part of it, NASA plans to send a rotorcraft with a total mass of about 450 kg to Titan. It will be equipped with four double propellers, allowing it to travel at a speed of about 36 km/h and rise to an altitude of up to 8 km. The drone will use a radioisotope generator as its power source.
Dragonfly’s science hardware will consist of a set of cameras, spectrometers, and weather sensors. The main task of the spacecraft is to search for complex organic molecules and assess the general suitability of this celestial body for life in the past and present. The drone will be able to collect samples from the Titan’s surface and chemically analyze them. Dragonfly will also study the moon’s topography, its atmosphere and hydrocarbon reservoirs.
Until recently, Dragonfly did not have a carrier. But on November 25, NASA announced that it had signed a $256.6 million contract with SpaceX. It includes the launch and all associated costs.
A Falcon Heavy rocket will be used to launch Dragonfly. The ballistic window for the flight to Titan will be open from July 5 to July 28, 2028. The mission is scheduled to arrive at its target in 2034.
We previously covered NASA’s contracts awarded to Blue Origin and SpaceX to deliver cargo to the Moon.
Provided by NASA
