NASA develops breakthrough technology to hunt for habitable “water worlds”

NASA scientists have developed an advanced quantum technology tool to search for “water worlds” within our solar system. This innovation aims to identify celestial bodies that might harbor liquid water, a key indicator of potential extraterrestrial life.

The discovery of water in various forms throughout our cosmic neighborhood is one of space exploration’s most intriguing aspects. Scientists are particularly interested in liquid water because of its potential to support life beyond Earth.

Dr. Hannes Kraus, a researcher at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, explained, “Novel quantum sensors not only enable new scientific discoveries but also allow us to reduce the size and cost of flagship-class instruments, enabling them to be used on smaller CubeSat-class platforms.”

**The Quest for Life in Liquid Water**
The presence of liquid water in space is crucial to the search for extraterrestrial life. Astrobiologists have long used the mantra “Follow the Water” to guide their investigations.

In this search, attention has been focused on the icy moons of gas and ice giants in our solar system, such as Saturn’s Enceladus and Jupiter’s Europa. These moons are believed to contain vast subsurface oceans beneath their thick ice crusts, making them prime targets for future missions.

However, penetrating these icy shells with conventional remote-sensing tools like cameras and radar poses a significant challenge. Until landers or rovers capable of melting or drilling through the ice are deployed, scientists must rely on alternative techniques to detect hidden water bodies.

**Magnetometry as a Detection Method**
Magnetometry has emerged as a promising method to identify subsurface oceans. By using magnetic fields, scientists can gain valuable insights into the interiors of planet-sized bodies, as these fields can penetrate solid materials.

Solid-state quantum magnetometers represent a significant advancement in this field. These instruments offer high sensitivity while requiring less power and having a smaller size and weight compared to traditional magnetometers.

Additionally, solid-state quantum magnetometers have unique quantum advantages, such as self-calibration through spin-nuclear quantum interaction, which helps them maintain accuracy over time despite potential drifts.