Falcon Heavy to Launch Rotorcraft Lander on Saturn’s Largest Moon

NASA has chosen SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket to launch its Dragonfly mission in 2028. The project will deploy the “Dragonfly” rotorcraft lander to study compositions and materials on Titan, Saturn’s largest moon.

The Dragonfly is a car-sized dual-quadcopter, or ‘octocopter,’ equipped with an advanced suite of research instruments. It employs a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) to generate power, much like the Curiosity Mars rover. Studies will be conducted during Titan daytime, which spans eight days on Earth, giving Dragonfly time to recharge after sundown.

The mission is part of NASA’s New Frontiers Program. This uses a series of space exploration missions aimed at developing the agency’s understanding of the Solar System. Dragonfly is the fourth initiative in the program.

Dragonfly will spend its time on Titan collecting materials and analyzing the moon’s composition. Over a 50-mile course, it will use a mass spectrometer, neutron and gamma-ray spectrometer, meteorology sensors, and imaging technology to measure chemical components, surface composition, atmospheric conditions, geologic features, and subsurface activity.

“This revolutionary mission concept includes the capability to explore diverse locations to characterize the habitability of Titan's environment, to investigate how far prebiotic chemistry has progressed, and even to search for chemical signatures that could indicate water-based and/or hydrocarbon-based life,” the mission team explained.

SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy is the latest addition to the mission. The rocket employs three reusable Falcon 9 nine-engine cores, creating over 5 million pounds of thrust during lift-off. This is about as much as eighteen B747s.

The deal, consisting of launch services and any other mission spending, is valued at $256.6 million. It is slated to launch between July 5 to 25, 2028, at Launch Complex 39A in NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

FMI: https://dragonfly.jhuapl.edu