Enceladus Orbilander
It was proposed in the 2023–2032 Planetary Science Decadal Survey as the third highest priority Flagship mission, after the Uranus Orbiter and Probe and the Mars Sample Return program.[5] Cassini also provided evidence of hydrothermal processes driving both the geysers and Enceladus' active geology, making the moon one of the most attractive places to find life within the solar system.[12] Ultimately, the decision to combine the orbiter and lander into one spacecraft was informed by Enceladus' small size and negligible gravity, which results in trivial delta-v to land.[1]: 7 The spacecraft's proposed launch is timed so that a Jupiter gravity assist can be performed in October 2040 to save propellant for Saturn orbital insertion in August 2045.[1]: 20 The closest point of the orbit to the surface will pass over the south polar tiger stripes to collect plume particles and remote sensing data.
EnceladusSaturnian moonsSpace Launch SystemKennedy Space CenterPad 39BJupiterSaturnLarge Strategic Science MissionsUranus Orbiter and ProbeCassini-Huygens spacecraftFlagship missionSaturn'sFalcon HeavyMars Sample ReturnVoyager spacecraftCassini spacecraftJourney to Enceladus and TitanastrobiologyDiscovery ProgramEnceladus Life Signatures and HabitabilityEnceladus Life FinderNew FrontiersPlanetary Science Decadal Surveyexobiologyplanetary habitabilityHigh-Resolution Mass SpectrometerEuropa ClipperSeparation Mass SpectrometerSample Analysis at MarsCuriosityPhoenixMicroscopeLong Range Reconnaissance ImagerNew HorizonsThermal Emission SpectrometerBepiColomboSeismic Experiment for Interior StructureInsightCastorgravity assistmoons of SaturnTethysorbital inclinationelliptical orbittiger stripeslanding ellipseOSIRIS-RExAbiogenesisEnceladus ExplorerExplorer of Enceladus and TitanLife Investigation For EnceladusAltwegg, K.Lunar and Planetary InstituteBibcodeSpacecraft missions to SaturnPioneer 11Voyager 1Voyager 2Cassini–HuygenstimelineretirementHuygensDragonflyKronosSaturn Atmospheric Entry ProbeSPRITETitan Saturn System MissionBreakthrough Enceladus missionAVIATROceanusTALISETitan Mare ExplorerTitan SubmarineAstrochemistryAstrophysicsAtmospheric sciencesBiochemistryEvolutionary biologyExoplanetologyGeomicrobiologyMicrobiologyPaleontologyPlanetary oceanographyPlanetary scienceAllan Hills 84001BiomoleculeBiosignatureDrake equationEarliest known life formsEarth analogExtraterrestrial lifeExtraterrestrial sample curationExtremophilesHypothetical types of biochemistryList of microorganisms tested in outer spaceOcean planetPanspermiaPlanetary protectionSearch for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI)Yamato meteoritePlanetaryhabitabilityCircumstellar habitable zoneExtraterrestrial liquid waterGalactic habitable zoneHabitability of binary star systemsHabitability of natural satellitesHabitability of neutron star systemsHabitability of red dwarf systemsHabitability of K-type main-sequence star systemsHabitability of yellow dwarf systemsHabitability of F-type main-sequence star systemsHabitable zone for complex lifeList of potentially habitable exoplanetsTholinSuperhabitable planetBiolabBIOPANBiosatellite programE-MISTEu:CROPISEXPOSEO/OREOSOREOcubeTanpopoVEGGIEBeagle 2