A few detail research papers and presentations for EnEx and IceMole:
Development and testing of a maneuverable subsurface probe that can navigate autonomously through deep ice (... which i think somewhat strange to be posted on NASA's solar system exploration page - but it at least recognizes NASA's Europa effort with a one-paragraph note on why Enceladus)
IceMole: a maneuverable probe for clean in situ analysis and sampling of subsurface ice and subglacial aquatic ecosystems(Annals of Glaciology 55(65) 2014)
DLR's "Countdown" newsletter,
issue 28, April 2015 did an article on the Blood Falls expedition within EnEx. Page 6-10, in German and English. Mostly pictures.
The basic EnEx project was completed with the Blood Falls expedition and its wrapping up until spring this year. The scenario is continued with six research groups within a EnEx follow-on framework, since June 2015 (funded until 2018):
- EnEx-CAUSE (U Bremen), developing an autonomous navigation package
- EnEx-RANGE (RWTH Aachen), "robust autonomous acoustic navigation in glacial ice", further developing the ultrasound ranging
- EnEx-DiMIce (RWTH Aachen), directional melting in ice - developing the IceMole probe
- EnEx-nExT (FH Aachen), "environmental experimental testing" - Enceladus environment simulation
- EnEx-MIE (U Braunschweig), "magnetic improvement and evaluation" (?)
- EnEx-NavEn (BwU München), mission navigation for Enceladus
DiMIce had a presentation at EGU 2015 (
abstract).
CAUSE has ties to DLR's similar
VaMeX (Valles Marineris Exploration) rover swarm project, with the AI routines developed in both projects generalized and used in both surface and under-ice probes.
RANGE is working on an ultrasound pinger for IceMole (to detect and circumvent non-meltable structures ahead, as well as to detect e.g. liquid water deposits within ice), as well as communications between multiple melting probes using ultrasound to optimize relative positions and create a 3D network of beacons for navigation.
Article in German.
nExT tests melting probes (and ice screws) in a simulated near-Enceladus environment, i.e. in a vacuum and with cryogenic ice under sublimation conditions.
NavEn Is designing an operational mission concept for transporting a probe from Earth to the surface of Enceladus; fields of study also include planetary protection concerns, autonomous landing on airless bodies and high accuracy planetary penetrators (i.e. impactors).
For MIE I can't find any information.