ENDURANCE
Autonomous underwater vehicle mapping Antarctic lake geochemistry and biology.
ENDURANCE (Environmentally Non-Disturbing Under-ice Robotic Antarctic Explorer) is an autonomous underwater vehicle that creates three-dimensional maps of the geochemistry and biology beneath Antarctic ice. Stone Aerospace built and designed it as a heavily modified second version of their earlier DEPTHX vehicle, retooled specifically for Antarctic conditions. The project’s principal investigator was Peter Doran, an Earth and environmental scientist from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Co-investigators included Stone Aerospace CEO Bill Stone, John Priscu of Montana State University, and Chris McKay of NASA Ames Research Center. Funding came from NASA’s Astrobiology Science and Technology for Exploring Planets program and the National Science Foundation’s United States Antarctic Program. The name ENDURANCE is a backronym for “Environmentally Non-Disturbing Under-ice Robotic Antarctic Explorer” and also honors Ernest Shackleton’s Antarctic exploration ship, Endurance. The vehicle completed two field seasons in Lake Bonney, located in Antarctica’s Dry Valleys, during 2008 and 2009. NASA intends to apply lessons from ENDURANCE to future exploration of water-rich bodies in the Solar System, such as Jupiter’s moon Europa, whose internal ocean is a target for life-detection missions. The vehicle’s legacy has directly influenced the design of the SPINDLE cryobot.
- Full name
- Environmentally Non-Disturbing Under-ice Robotic Antarctic Explorer
- Type
- Autonomous underwater vehicle
- Builder
- Stone Aerospace
- Principal investigator
- Peter Doran (University of Illinois at Chicago)
- Co-investigators
- Bill Stone (Stone Aerospace), John Priscu (Montana State University), Chris McKay (NASA Ames Research Center)
- Funding
- NASA Astrobiology Science and Technology for Exploring Planets program; National Science Foundation's United States Antarctic Program
- Field locations
- Lake Bonney, Dry Valleys, Antarctica
Lore & Background
ENDURANCE is the second incarnation of the DEPTHX vehicle, which was significantly reconfigured for the challenges particular to the Antarctic environment. Its name is a backronym for 'Environmentally Non-Disturbing Under-ice Robotic ANtarctic Explorer' as well as a tribute to Ernest Shackleton's Antarctic exploration ship Endurance. The vehicle was built and designed by Stone Aerospace, with principal investigator Peter Doran of the University of Illinois at Chicago, and co-investigators Bill Stone, John Priscu, and Chris McKay. The project was funded by the NASA Astrobiology Science and Technology for Exploring Planets program and the National Science Foundation's United States Antarctic Program.
Reader's Guide
ENDURANCE completed two field seasons in Lake Bonney in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica in 2008 and 2009, mapping in three dimensions the geochemistry and biology of underwater terrains. NASA hopes to build upon lessons learned during testing for exploring objects in the Solar System known to harbor sizable bodies of water, such as Jupiter's moon Europa. The future exploration of its internal ocean and search for life are compelling scientific endeavors. The legacy of ENDURANCE has informed the design of the SPINDLE cryobot, a vehicle intended for ice-penetrating exploration. The vehicle's ability to operate autonomously under ice and characterize subglacial environments directly supports astrobiology goals for planetary ocean worlds.
Did You Know?
- The vehicle is named in tribute to Ernest Shackleton's Antarctic exploration ship Endurance.
- ENDURANCE is the second incarnation of the DEPTHX vehicle, significantly reconfigured for Antarctic conditions.
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