German Scientists Develop Laser Drill to Explore Icy Moons’ Hidden Oceans

German Scientists Develop Laser Ice Drill To Explore Hidden Oceans On Europa And Enceladus

Heavy, power-hungry drills have long posed a major obstacle to probing the mysterious subsurface oceans beneath icy moons like Jupiter’s Europa and Saturn’s Enceladus. But a team of scientists from Technische Universität Dresden (TU Dresden) in Germany has proposed an innovative solution — a laser-based ice drill that could change how humanity explores these frozen worlds. Their findings, published in the journal Acta Astronautica, outline a com…

German Scientists Develop Laser Drill to Explore Icy Moons’ Hidden Oceans

Scientists from TU Dresden have created a laser drill that vaporises ice to reach potential subsurface oceans on Europa and Enceladus. Lighter and more energy-efficient than mechanical drills, it enables deep exploration with minimal power, paving the way for studying icy worlds and their potential for extraterrestrial life.