Enceladus Could there be life 10 years on

Doesn't time fly ! 🙂 Ten years have passed since I wrote my first post on my Explaining Science blog (originally called The Science Geek). I have decided to mark the occasion by reblogging my first ever post. Over the last ten years the question whether there are primitive life forms on Saturn’s icy moon… Continue reading Enceladus Could there be life 10 years on

Discoveries made by Voyager 1 and 2 in the Solar System

The Voyager Spacecraft with it large radio antenna

On August 20, 1977, NASA launched Voyager 2 to explore the Solar System's outer planets, followed by Voyager 1. Both spacecraft made significant discoveries, including active volcanoes on Jupiter's moon Io and Titan's dense atmosphere with potential hydrocarbon lakes. They now send data from interstellar space and contain a golden record intended for any potential alien finders.

Enceladus Flyby 28 Oct 2015

On 28 October 2015 the space probe Cassini, which has been orbiting Saturn for the last 10 years, will pass within 50 km of the surface of Saturn's moon Enceladus. This is an extremely close approach by an interplanetary spacecraft (by comparison the New Horizons mission only got as close as 12,500 km above the surface of Pluto) and… Continue reading Enceladus Flyby 28 Oct 2015

How Would We Get to Enceladus ? (a brief overview)

 Updated 10 December 2025 This post continues my previous two posts on Saturn's icy Moon Enceladus which many scientists now believe is the most likely place in the solar system, other than the Earth, to harbour life. and discusses how we might get there   Image from NASA There are two possibilities . (a) the… Continue reading How Would We Get to Enceladus ? (a brief overview)

Enceladus what kind of life ?

As stated in my previous post NASA's Cassini probe  has shown that Saturn's moon Enceladus not only has an thin atmosphere, but that volcanoes of water are erupting from its surface into space. Even more remarkable  has been its  discovery, that these volcanoes  contain the raw chemicals which are the building blocks for life. Image from NASA The question which really… Continue reading Enceladus what kind of life ?