PIA23434: Illustration of Shapeshifter on Titan's Surface


Illustration of Shapeshifter on Titan’s Surface

Caption:

An illustration of an early concept of Shapeshifter imagines the robots on Saturn's moon Titan. In the picture, the Shapeshifter breaks into smaller pieces that can investigate a methane waterfall from the sky. Shapeshifter is a developing concept for a transformational vehicle to explore treacherous, distant worlds. The flying amphibious robot is part of the early-stage research program NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC), which offers several phases of funding to visionary concepts, helping turn ideas that sound like science fiction into science fact. JPL Principle Investigator Ali Agha envisions Shapeshifter as a mission to Saturn's moon Titan, the only other world in the solar system known to have liquid in the form of methane lakes, rivers and seas on its surface.

Cataloging Keywords:

Name Value Additional Values
Target Titan
System Saturn
Target Type Satellite
Mission
Instrument Host
Host Type
Instrument
Detector
Extra Keywords Methane, Water
Acquisition Date
Release Date 2019-09-25
Date in Caption
Image Credit NASA/JPL-Caltech/Marilynn Flynn
Source photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA23434
Identifier PIA23434