Titan Lake In-situ Sampling Propelled Explorer facts for kids
Titan Lake In-situ Sampling Propelled Explorer (TALISE) is a special kind of space probe that scientists have suggested building. If this exciting project gets approved, TALISE will travel all the way to Titan, which is the biggest moon orbiting the planet Saturn. Its main job will be to explore a huge lake on Titan called Ligeia Mare.
What is the TALISE Mission?
The TALISE mission was first talked about at a big science meeting called the European Planetary Science Congress on September 27, 2012. The idea is for TALISE to be like a boat, sailing on the liquid surface of Ligeia Mare. While it sails, it would take important scientific measurements. This would help us learn more about the liquids on Titan and what they are made of.
Why Explore Titan?
Titan is a very interesting moon because it's the only moon in our solar system with a thick atmosphere and stable liquids on its surface. But these liquids aren't water like on Earth! They are made of substances like methane and ethane, which are gases here on Earth. Exploring Titan helps scientists understand different kinds of environments and if life could exist in places very different from our own planet.
What is Ligeia Mare?
Ligeia Mare is one of the largest lakes found on Titan. It's not a lake of water, but a lake of liquid hydrocarbons, like natural gas. Scientists are very curious about these lakes because they behave a lot like water lakes on Earth, with waves and tides. Studying Ligeia Mare up close would give us amazing information about how these unique liquids work.
How Would TALISE Work?
The TALISE probe is designed to float and move across the surface of Ligeia Mare. It would be equipped with special tools to study the liquid it's floating on. It would also be able to measure the weather and other conditions on Titan. By sailing to the "coast" of the lake, it could even study the land around it. This kind of mission is called "in-situ," which means "on-site," because the probe would be right there in the environment it's studying.
