Cool stuff. Too bad the space program can't get a "stimulus package" so that we might see this in our lifetimes. One part of the Titan exploration I especially didn't like was the duration of the lander (9hrs). Please give the thing a thermoelectic generator, so that it can float and sample merrily for weeks/months instead of hours. If it is only designed for 9 hours, my contention is too many things can severely limit what is achieved by sampling. Any communication hiccups, or really any kind of hiccup and there is no time for recovery or workaround.
Also the logic of selecting the liquid vs dune sampling is that the liquid will be thought to contain the mix of everything. But what if the liquid is so stable that it has separated into very distinct layers. The top layer may be pretty much one material. I hope there will be some provision to retrieve a sample at some significant depth. Another great side effect of a long lasting lander, is the chance to catch some "weather" on titan. Maybe the liquid will get stirred, or "rain" can get sampled.
Just off hand and I may be wrong, but the engineering of a buoyant craft doesn't seem terribly difficult as compared to a robotic rover. If that is true, let's take advantage and build one to last.
Space/Science » in reply to NASA and ESA jointly to, Europa or Titan
Titan lander mission--some suggestions
