Drilling Europa

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

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

"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?


You have said something that interests me.

Is there oil on Sedna?

Somebody had to know early on about Sutter's mill, or the Black Hills, or
Virgina City or the Klondike...

Are you that person concerning this new discovery Sedna? Please advise.

Also how do you pump Oil at absolute Zero? Wouldn't it be pretty viscous?
Please Advise on this issue as well if you would.

I would think the drill bits and pumping machinery would not last quite as
long as they might in Bakersfield.

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.

You dont know diddly about radioactive materials or math do you?

Mankind hasnt made a millionth of a millionth of a millionth (at best) of the
amount of radioactive material that would be required to steralize
Europa......and a few loose pounds of the stuff (assuming it actually got loose
in the first place) aint gonna do squat....

You DO realize dont you that the USA and USSR literally sent tens of TONS of
uranium and plutonium into the Earths atmosphere by doing the
hundreds/thousands of open air atomic tests dont you?

And you think a few pounds of the stuff will ruin Europa?

Blll