The search for biosignatures in Enceladus' plumes

The search for biosignatures in Enceladus' plumes

What kind of mission would be best suited to sample the plumes of Saturn's ocean world, Enceladus, to determine if this intriguing world has the ingredients to harbor life? This is what a recent study presented at the 56th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC 2025) hopes to address as a team of researchers investigated the pros and cons of an orbiter or flyby mission to sample Enceladus' plumes.

The Search for Biosignatures in Enceladus’ Plumes

What kind of mission would be best suited to sample the plumes of Saturn’s ocean world, Enceladus, to determine if this intriguing world has the ingredients to harbor life? This is what a recent study presented at the 56th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference hopes to address as a team of researchers investigated the pros and cons of an orbiter or flyby mission to sample Enceladus’ plumes. This study has the potential to help scientists, engin…

Mapping Eruptions on Enceladus

Saturn's tiny moon Enceladus was the first moon in the solar system known to spout plumes of water ice and vapor.