Is Titan submarine the most daring space mission yet?

So the guys at NASA have a special group for out of the box thinking called the Nasa Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC). They want to use the X-37B to get a submarine to Titan and study it. People on ATS are always asking for these kinds of things saying why does NASA never show interest. Apparently, they do.

A sub could shed light on the basin in which the seas lie, including the possibility that it's a giant eroded impact crater.
The mission might see layering in the liquid column like that seen in Earth's Black Sea, where a salty, oxygen-poor layer exists beneath fresher (though still brackish) surface waters.

m.bbc.com...

a reply to: OccamsRazor04
Titan is a terrible choice for a submarine mission. Europa is a far better candidate considering limited budgets.

a reply to: machineintelligence

And why exactly is that? It's actually the reverse.

ETA: ATS never ceases to amaze me. NASA thinks about doing something amazing, never done before, very ambitious, and ATS craps on it.

a reply to: OccamsRazor04

That was just one member, not all of ATS. Anyway, this is good news. I hope they do it.

a reply to: machineintelligence

The problem with places like Europa, is getting through the ice to get your submarine down there.

Same goes for the other icy moons: the ice thickness is measured in kilometers.

Would be an amazingly awesome mission and a great test of the technology, Titan's atmosphere would be a great test of attempting to fly through a medium of different viscosity and condition compared to our own atmosphere.

Brilliant concept and an amazing amount of potential science

a reply to: OccamsRazor04

I think it's a good idea, but I share your sentiment.

Anyhoo, I hope this get's the greenlight, we need more missions like this and quicker too, I don't want to be an old man by the time they send it!

originally posted by: Wide-Eyes
a reply to: OccamsRazor04

That was just one member, not all of ATS. Anyway, this is good news. I hope they do it.

I did not mean to say ALL of ATS, I just meant no matter how awesome something is someone will chime in on how NASA sucks and is doing it all wrong.

originally posted by: eriktheawful
a reply to: machineintelligence

The problem with places like Europa, is getting through the ice to get your submarine down there.

Same goes for the other icy moons: the ice thickness is measured in kilometers.

Ding! Exactly. The layer of ice is why Europa is a terrible candidate right now (although in the long run more interesting perhaps, or perhaps not, both are interesting for different reasons).

originally posted by: ErosA433
Would be an amazingly awesome mission and a great test of the technology, Titan's atmosphere would be a great test of attempting to fly through a medium of different viscosity and condition compared to our own atmosphere.

Brilliant concept and an amazing amount of potential science

It would be interesting what applications the new technologies created could be applied to on Earth.

a reply to: OccamsRazor04

I think much of it will be regarding technology surviving extreme environments, I mean that has been the story of many of these missions and indeed the pay off.

Like doing chemistry on Mars for example is a little different due to the comparatively higher UV bake due to lack of a thick Atmosphere.

Titan will be the same, Extreme cold, and wading through mostly Nitrogen, but at extremely cold temperatures. Operating robotics etc in a 'real' cryo environment is not commonly done. Yes space is cold, but, then again in space you dont have things freezing on your space craft. Totally different ball game

Hmm, liquid hydrocarbons.

I wonder what those resources could be used for ?

*cough*

This would be a cool mission! Both in outer space and underwater. A first of its kind.

originally posted by: CranialSponge
Hmm, liquid hydrocarbons.

I wonder what those resources could be used for ?

*cough*

Not much on Earth, at least not yet, Lets just face it, shipping it in from Titan wont exactly be cost effective

a reply to: ErosA433

No, but I wonder if it's feasible to keep it in liquid form on a Mars or Moon station ?

Future energy production is my thought process here.

originally posted by: stumason
a reply to: OccamsRazor04

I think it's a good idea, but I share your sentiment.

Anyhoo, I hope this get's the greenlight, we need more missions like this and quicker too, I don't want to be an old man by the time they send it!

Why? Why do we need more missions? Are there not enough issues and problems to solve here on earth first?

Don't get me wrong, I think space exploration is amazing. However, it seems more like a cop-out from something more pressing in regards to the stage of human development we are currently in.

originally posted by: OccamsRazor04
a reply to: machineintelligence

And why exactly is that? It's actually the reverse.

ETA: ATS never ceases to amaze me. NASA thinks about doing something amazing, never done before, very ambitious, and ATS craps on it.

NOT ATS....Just one dumbass who clearly just wants to criticize anything anyone says....Don't take it personal, this mission is an amazing idea! I love that "they" actually do care, just like us!! Good find OccamsRazor04!!

originally posted by: Sparkymedic

originally posted by: stumason
a reply to: OccamsRazor04

I think it's a good idea, but I share your sentiment.

Anyhoo, I hope this get's the greenlight, we need more missions like this and quicker too, I don't want to be an old man by the time they send it!

Why? Why do we need more missions? Are there not enough issues and problems to solve here on earth first?

Don't get me wrong, I think space exploration is amazing. However, it seems more like a cop-out from something more pressing in regards to the stage of human development we are currently in.

Actually I beg to differ. It's operations like this that give people a common cause, getting people to work together.

This can only be a good thing. Let's not be consumed by all the negative aspects of life, but also remember to look at the positive things like this.

One day we will need to leave our solar system, the sooner we start trying to further that cause the better.

a reply to: Sparkymedic
That's the purpose of the missions. To better understand the universe that will help benefit mankind. Yes we have political problems but that shouldn't means technological development should remain stagnant as a result

I picture a Heavy Lift Rocket with a smaller UAV submarine tucked away in the nose cone. The actual sub could be built to withstand space, since its pretty much doing the same thing on earths oceans and immense pressures in the depths of Earths oceans. It would just have to be modified a bit. and could even be fitted with outboard thrusters so its the essential vehicle. The shape of the sub could remain cylindrical with some sort of detachable heat sheilds. I give NASA 2 thumbs up for thinking outside the box.