A Balloon on Titan

A mission could be launched before the end of the next decade to put a balloon on Titan, the hazy Saturnian moon.

The balloon is one of several ideas being considered by the European Space Agency as it sketches out where its science should be focussed in future.

Other proposals include an X-ray telescope that flies in two parts; and a sample-return mission to an asteroid.

Sounds interesting, Sounds like they may also be planning to explore europa with a similar method.

* Laplace: This mission would go to Jupiter and its moons. A key target of interest would be the icy moon Europa which is thought to harbour an ocean under its icy crust. The mission would deploy three orbiting platforms to perform coordinated observations of Europa, the other Jovian satellites, Jupiter's magnetosphere and its atmosphere and interior.
* Tandem: The mission would explore both Titan and Enceladus, the other Saturnian moon currently fascinating scientists. The mission would carry two spacecraft - an orbiter and a carrier to deliver an instrument-carrying balloon and three probes on to Titan.
* Xeus: This next-generation telescope would study the X-ray Universe. It comes in two parts: a mirror satellite and a detector satellite which have to be flown in formation with extreme precision.
* Spica: The Japanese are proposing an L-Class mission which would launch a telescope to study the cosmos at far infrared wavelengths. If Europe became involved, it would bring expertise and technology developed for its own Herschel telescope due to launch next year.

Full article is here

news.bbc.co.uk...

[edit on 20-10-2007 by Smugallo]