How do you suppose to reach the liquid below (if there is liquid) if not
drilling through the surface? Would you rather forgo plans to explore
Europa? It seems to me that precautions have been taken to reasonably
insure against contamination. How would you do it?

Al


"Maria Hidalgo" wrote in message
om...
After having contaminated Earth's Oceans, it seems that there are
plans to send a probe drilling through Europa's ice sheet and explore
the purported ocean below the crust. The plan seems to be to find Life
there. But I wonder how long the time lag will be between the probe
finding life, and a leak in the radioactive heater wiping all of it
out. What next? Drilling Sedna for oil?

The reports:

http://aittimes.mithuro.com/?action=fullnews&id=20

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3548139.stm