Stone Aerospace, Inc.

Subsurface Exploration of Ocean Worlds Ultimately Requires Significant Ice Penetration. We Propose Further Development of an Entirely Novel Ice Penetrating Technology Using Laser Light Carried by an Optical Fiber Tether and Emitted From the Probe S Nose Cone Directly Into the Ice. This Technology Has Critical Benefits Over Conventional Hot Point Melt Probes and Mechanical Drills and Is Particularly Advantageous for the Extreme Cold and Vacuum Environment on Ocean Worlds. Currently Our Direct Laser Probe Is Targeted for Very Efficient Penetration of 1 to 10 Meters Depth and Scales Well for Penetration of 10S to 100S of Meters. Preliminary Experiments Conducted at Stone Aerospace Over a Range of Power Levels and Ice Penetration Rates Produced Excellent Results Exceeding Expectations (TRL 3) and Achieving the Fastest Recorded Cryobot Descent Speed to Date. We Propose to Develop Build and Characterize a Direct-laser-based Penetrator System Refining and Advancing This Technology to TRL 5. We Will Test a Range of Probe Diameters and Laser Power Levels Under Relevant Extra-terrestrial Environmental Conditions. Additionally We Will Investigate Fiber-coupled Optical Biomarker Sensors That Take Advantage of the Laser S Fiber Optic Tether.