Cassini is scheduled to pass today within the edge of the ice plume ejected from Enceladus

Three years after watching giant geysers shoot water from volcanoes on Saturn's moon Enceladus, the Cassini spacecraft will return and this time pass by the edge of these plumes. The scientists hope to find signs of abundant existence of liquid water

Three years after watching giant geysers shoot water from volcanoes on Saturn's moon Enceladus, the Cassini spacecraft will return and this time pass by the edge of these plumes. Cassini will approach to a distance of 50 km from the surface of the small moon, but in the area of ​​the plumes the distance will already increase to about 180 km.

The carefully planned event will take Cassini deeper than ever before," said Carolyn Porco, of the Space Science Institute. Scientists have long believed that Enceladus, the brightest object in the solar system, maintained cold weather due to its distance from the sun. However, the latest findings have shown that the moon, which is about the size of the state of Arizona, is geologically active, has a significant atmosphere and a relatively warm south pole.

In 2005, Enceladus surprised scientists when it transmitted an image of geyser-like eruptions of ice particles and water vapor erupting from Enceladus' south pole. The dramatic images put Enceladus high on the list of places in the solar system where conditions suitable for extraterrestrial life are most likely. Scientists generally agree that the presence of water, organic matter and a stable heat source are the conditions needed to support primitive life.

Previous measurements made by Cassini showed that the eruptions were frequent and that the gas and ice particles were blown at a speed of 1,300 km/h and formed plumes hundreds of kilometers high. The origin of the geysers is still shrouded in mystery, but some theories hold that reservoirs of liquid water below the surface are what provide the ice and steam we see in the plumes. So far, the scientists have not been able to measure the composition of the material from the plumes in detail. The spacecraft's approach to the plumes will allow them to use Cassini's particle analysis system to calculate the density, size and speed of the gases and particles of their types. The spacecraft's cameras will of course photograph the moon up close during the flight. One of the interesting issues will be to examine whether the plumes contain ammonia, which keeps the water in a liquid state, which will strengthen the theory about the water reservoir under the ice. "We have no choice but to hold our breath and cross our fingers until the transition is over and we receive the images and data." John Spencer of the Southern Research Center in Boulder, Colorado wrote on the Cassini blog.

They fear damage to the spacecraft due to this transition NASA says that this approach does not particularly endanger Cassini because the particles from the plumes are small compared to the dust grain-sized fragments that the spacecraft passes through as it orbits Saturn. said the scientists in the project.