Martian Cave Probe?, Designs for the DEEP Search for Life Options

[Shaka]

Does anyone consider it worthwhile to speculate on how we might explore Martian caves or lava tubes for the traces of life - past or present? I have not yet run across any 'official' proposals for "spelunker probes", so perhaps we could have some fun and get in on the ground floor with some feasible early designs. With the engineering and scientific expertise we have at UMSF we should be able to whittle down the possible features for such a rover to a practical core. If the planned surface scrapers and drillers don't turn up conclusive evidence to answer The Big Question, can we justify a search of the Martian Underground?

I can envisage a RTG-powered rover that enters a cave, or rappels down a skylight opening, leaving a base communication stage outside connected to it with a fiber-optic umbilical cable. Some form of laser or other illumination - in the visible and/or infrared - would presumably be required. How many of the MSL instruments could be included? What novel instruments would be appropriate? What is the optimal size and mobility design? 'Do we yet have 'hot' prospects for accessible caves? How should we choose the best candidates?

We can leave this to some JPL bright spark to develop, or we can dive right in. Any takers?

[Shaka]

Good fundamental astrobiological question, Cugel. A quick dip into Google Scholar suggests that the answer is "Yes, maybe." Mars Methane Sources and see also:Carbon AND Hydrogen Isotopes
Of course the hope would be that if organisms in the underground are the source of the atmospheric gases, the concentrations inside the cave would be significantly higher, hence easier to quantify isotopically. Given the current drive toward miniaturized spectrometers (for military, if not scientific applications!), we may not be far away from an astrobiology lab in a shoebox or better. Weight may not be the challenge.

The bottom of a cave or lava tube may well be a severe challenge to rover mobility. Wheels may have to give way to legs - with snowshoes! - in order to clamber over fallen rocks and dust puddles.

Edit: I just had a spine-tingling mental image of a mechanical SPIDER! Instead of spider silk paying out the back end, you would have fiber-optic cable!

[Cugel]

Good fundamental astrobiological question, Cugel. A quick dip into Google Scholar suggests that the answer is "Yes, maybe." Mars Methane Sources and see also:Carbon AND Hydrogen Isotopes

Thank you for those links. That's very interesting and encouraging news! (And not just for Mars caves)