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Tunneling into the Earth, mankind has reached a mere 7.5 miles total depth, taking 20 years to accomplish and still only penetrating about 1/3 of the way through the Earth's crust.
Researchers at the American Geophysical Union, however, are not satisfied and if they can't break that record on Earth, well, there are other options.
On Friday (Dec. 14) at the 2018 meeting of the American Geophysical Union, the researchers presented a proposal for a "tunnelbot" that would use nuclear power to melt a path downward through Europa's shell, "carrying a payload that can search for… evidence for extant/extinct life."
The proposed tunnelbot would deploy repeaters at depths of 5, 10 and 15km to relay information. Well past the depth of any hole ever drilled on Earth, and hopefully reaching the Jovian moon's inferred liquid saltwater ocean at an estimated depth of between 10-30km
I wonder if it will need bumpers on the sides like things closer to home?
(Score: 2) by gawdonblue on Sunday January 06 2019, @08:33PM
"Radioactive Ice Volcano Plume" for when the destruction of alien lifeforms is a price we're prepared to pay.