NASA Begins Building Dragonfly Drone; Nuclear-Powered ‘Octocopter’ Enters Testing Ahead of 2028 Launch

NASA has begun construction of the Dragonfly mission, which will utilise a nuclear-powered rotorcraft lander to investigate Saturn's largest moon, Titan. The car-sized drone is scheduled to launch in 2028 and will conduct a comprehensive surface survey using its Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG). The spacecraft will complete a six-year cruise, arriving at Titan in 2034 to perform detailed exploration activities across the moon's surface.

Design and Technology

According to NASA, Dragonfly is a car-sized, eight-rotor lander designed for the dense atmosphere of Titan. While the Mars helicopter, or Ingenuity, is roughly the size of a tissue box, Dragonfly is a fully autonomous and nuclear-powered machine. Engineers at the Johns Hopkins APL laboratory, a NASA facility, are currently working to integrate the “brain” and power of the Dragonfly mission.

Titan's dense atmosphere and low gravity combine to create a powerful lift for the Dragonfly, but the moon's extreme cold and 1-hour signal delay present a challenge.

Science Goals and Timeline

The Dragonfly spacecraft is scheduled to launch in 2028 using SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket, which will take six years to travel to Titan. The landing site will be near the equator of Titan in a region known as Selk Crater. The area contains organic materials, which scientists believe developed through the existence of past liquid water.

The eight-rotor drone will begin operations by departing from this area to explore different territories. The drone will carry cameras, spectrometers and various sensors, which will be used to study complex organic materials present on Titan's surface.

The drone will also be able to test samples to be used in further research in the future.