Enceladus Orbilander

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Christopher R. Glein is an American geochemist at the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, TX. He studies planetary science, astrobiology, and organic geochemistry. Glein was the first to describe how Saturn's moon Enceladus is the only known body, besides Earth, that has all of the requirements necessary for life. Glein has been involved in multiple spacecraft missions, leading to significant findings about Pluto, Enceladus, and Titan. In 2017, he was recognized for Outstanding Contributions to the ESA Rosetta Mission by the European Space Agency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neptune Odyssey</span> NASA orbiter mission concept to study the Neptune system

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Enceladus Orbilander
22J SUM2023 EnceladusLife-Artist OrbilanderGraphic LIVE.jpg
Artist's impression of the Enceladus Orbilander
Mission type Enceladus Orbiter and Lander
Operator NASA
Website https://space.jhuapl.edu/projects-and-studies/enceladus-orbilander
Mission duration
  • Overall:
    • ~15 years total [1] :2–3,33-37
    • 3.5 years at Enceladus
  • En route:
  • Science Phase:
    • 1.5 years Enceladus orbit
    • 2 years on Enceladus surface
Spacecraft properties
Manufacturer APL (proposed)
Launch mass6610 kg [1] :18
Dry mass2690 kg
Power741 W (at launch) 589 W (landing)
Start of mission
Launch dateOctober 2038 (proposed) [1] :33
Rocket Space Launch System Block 2 (proposed)
Launch site Kennedy Space Center, Pad 39B
Contractor NASA
Flyby of Jupiter
Closest approachOctober 2040 (proposed)
Distance4,730,000 km (2,940,000 mi)