Subsurface Science and Search for Life in Ocean Worlds
Justin Lawrence, Andrew Mullen, F. E. Bryson, Chase Chivers, Ashley Hanna, Taylor Plattner, Elizabeth M. Spiers, Jeff S. Bowman, Jacob Buffo, Justin Burnett, Christopher E. Carr, Daniel Dichek, K. Hughson, Walter King, E. Glenn Lightsey, Ellery D. Ingall, Jordan McKaig, Matthew Meister, Sara Pierson, Yashvardhan Tomar, B. E. Schmidt
Abstract
Abstract Several worlds in our solar system are thought to hold oceans of liquid water beneath their frozen surfaces. These subsurface ice and ocean environments are promising targets in the search for life beyond Earth, but they also present significant new technical challenges to planetary exploration. With a focus on Jupiter’s moon Europa, here we (1) identify major benefits and challenges to subsurface ocean world science, (2) provide a multidisciplinary survey of relevant sample handling and life detection technologies, and (3) integrate those perspectives into the Subsurface Science and Search for Life in Ocean Worlds (SSSLOW) concept payload. We discuss scientific goals across three complementary categories: (1) search for life, (2) assess habitability, and (3) investigate geological processes. Major mission challenges considered include submerged operation in high-pressure environments, the need to sample fluids with a range of possible chemical conditions, and detection of biosignatures at low concentrations. The SSSLOW addresses these issues by tightly integrated instrumentation and sample handling systems to enable sequential, complementary measurements while prioritizing preservation of sample context. In this work, we leverage techniques and technologies across several fields to demonstrate a path toward future subsurface exploration and life detection in ice and ocean worlds.