NASA funds spherical Aerobots that could explore the caves of Saturn's moon Titan

NASA has funded the development of spherical "Aerobots" called SPARK, which could explore the caves of Saturn's moon Titan. The project is part of the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program and aims to create flying vehicles that could traverse the challenging terrain of Titan. SPARK is designed to use ion thrusters, which are electric propulsion systems, to navigate the icy surface. The project is in the early stages, with Phase 1 lasting nine months and Phase 2 expected to take up to two years. Drew hopes SPARK could be a forerunner in cave exploration, similar to the Ingenuity helicopter on Mars. Drew has developed EHD propulsion systems, which are solid-state and offer advantages like silence and simplicity. He is working on microfabricated EHD actuators and ion-propelled micro-hovercraft. The project is still in the early stages, and the timeline for the Dragonfly mission is uncertain. Drew and his collaborators plan to conduct experiments and trade studies to optimize the design. The funding is part of a broader effort to explore the potential of flying vehicles for future missions.

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