Enceladus’ Potential: Discovery of toxic gas raises intriguing questions about life’s origins

Enceladus, Saturn’s frigid moon, continues to captivate enthusiasts of potential extraterrestrial life with ongoing revelations. Biophysicist Jonah Peter from Harvard University presented findings at the American Geophysical Union annual meeting, disclosing the presence of key compounds within the expansive plume of water emanating from vents in Enceladus’ icy shell.

Notably, these compounds encompass hydrogen cyanide, acknowledged for its potential toxicity to humans, yet Peter emphasized its pivotal role as a foundational element for synthesizing more intricate compounds, including amino acids, sugars, and nucleobases. These compounds, in turn, serve as precursors for fundamental biological components such as proteins, RNA, and DNA. Enceladus, with its complex chemical makeup, emerges as a celestial body holding promise for insights into the potential habitability of extraterrestrial environments.

These recent discoveries present promising prospects for NASA’s team actively engaged in the development of the Exobiology Extant Life Surveyor (EELS), a snakelike robot designed for potential exploration of Enceladus. EELS holds the potential to traverse the frozen crust of Enceladus and delve into the vast ocean below, in the quest to identify signs of extraterrestrial life.

Despite the fact that direct observation of this subsurface ocean has not been achieved, it is widely believed to be the origin of the substantial water plume emanating from Enceladus’ south pole. The identification of key compounds, including hydrogen cyanide, within the plume adds credence to the potential habitability of Enceladus and reinforces the scientific impetus behind the development of robotic exploratory technologies like EELS.

Previous reports highlighting the presence of phosphorus in the form of phosphate within Enceladus’ plume established it as the first extraterrestrial ocean world possessing all essential elements for life. The recent findings from Jonah Peter’s team further affirm Enceladus’s potential as a host for extraterrestrial life. The in-depth analysis, utilizing data from NASA’s Cassini probe during its 2011 and 2012 flybys through Enceladus’ plume, revealed additional compounds such as acetylene, ethane, and various alcohols.

These compounds, recognized as energy sources for certain Earthly microbes, enhance the moon’s appeal as a favorable prebiotic system.

Christopher Glein, a geochemist at the Southwest Research Institute, remarked on the significance of hydrogen cyanide and phosphate, suggesting Enceladus as a conducive chemical setting for life to emerge. While no specific NASA missions are planned for Enceladus, the potential habitability of this moon has spurred the development of the Exobiology Extant Life Surveyor (EELS), a robotic exploration tool designed for potential future missions to explore and study the moon’s subsurface ocean.

The most recent field test of the Exobiology Extant Life Surveyor (EELS) took place in September on the Athabasca Glacier in Alberta, Canada, as disclosed by technologist Masahiro Ono on December 13. Conducted at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., the test focused on EELS’ vertical mobility within three ice shafts, known as moulins.

The robot demonstrated its capability to maintain stability within the moulins, extending its body to snugly position itself between the frozen walls.

By methodically rotating treaded rings on its body, EELS successfully completed multiple 1.5-meter descents. These promising results from glacier tests indicate the potential applicability of EELS beyond Earth, with Ono suggesting its deployment on the Moon to aid stationary lunar landers. Described as a “game changer,” EELS exhibits versatility extending beyond its envisioned mission on Enceladus.