Outdoor Team Tech: Impossible Exploration brings high-tech laser labs to the ocean floor

On Friday, May 19, 2023, the Impossible probe, along with the SETI Institute and a team of engineers from the SETI Institute, NASA JPL, the University of Washington Applied Physics Laboratory and other institutions, successfully launched the Evader mission laser diveboat aboard the Ocean Exploration Trust’s exploration vessel Nautilus. to the deep waters around Kingman Reef and Palmyra Atoll.

Funded by NOAA’s Ocean Exploration and Research Cooperative Institute, this expedition marks the first time a high-tech laser laboratory has been integrated into ROV operations for on-site survey and analysis – a true game changer in ocean research and exploration.

Invader Mission Laser Diveboat On Board E/V Nautilus | Credit: Ocean Exploration Trust, Nautilus Live

The Invader mission, which is still underway, is an in-situ vent analysis divbot stationed for exoplanet research, with the goal of using technologies developed to explore ocean worlds like Europa and Enceladus to detect landmasses on Earth. In particular, the InVADER equipment (known as the Laser Divebot) aims to quickly and affordably identify the seafloor on the fly.

The Laser Diveboat collects high-fidelity compositional data, including rocks, sediments, water column and biological samples, using laser spectroscopy. The first deployment of a mobile ROV, this technology aims to advance in-situ surveying and ultimately eliminate the need to collect physical samples as a first measure—autonomous on-the-go.

InVADER Mission’s Laser Divebot by ROV Hercules | Credit: Ocean Exploration Trust, NOAA

“Measuring sediment and water composition without disturbing the ocean environment is a priority for society,” emphasized Dr. Leonardo Maselloni, associate research professor at Southern Mississippi’s School of Ocean Science and Engineering and one of the project’s lead investigators.

“We are very excited about the laser divebot’s initial results and their potential for future exploration missions,” said Maselloni.

InVADER Mission’s Laser Divebot by ROV Hercules | Credit: Ocean Exploration Trust, NOAA

During the first test dives, the Laser Divebot determined the organic content of the water column from the surface to the bottom. He also identified mineral and organic pigments in rocks and sediments at depths of around 1,500 meters during ROV transects without physical sampling. These are the first investigations that herald a new era in oceanography.

Habitats in the deep, unexplored waters around Kingman Reef and Palmyra Atoll are ideal for testing this pioneering technology. Located halfway between Hawaii and American Samoa, this is one of the most isolated and least explored areas on Earth.

The InVADER Mission Laser Divebot is closed | Credit IMS/SETI/APL/NASA

Impossible Sensing Dr. Pablo Sobrón, chief architect of the mission, explains, “From space exploration, we’ve brought the best tools to the last unexplored parts of our planet. Nine years from concept to reality, we’ve now unlocked the limitless potential of ocean exploration.

Sobron added, “This discovery ushers us into a new era of discovery, allowing us to dramatically accelerate the pace of ocean exploration, leading to a sustainable blue economy and a brighter planetary future.”

The Invader mission is the first step in unlocking this knowledge and reinforces the motivation behind Impossible Sensing. Funding for the development and testing of Invader was provided by NASA, NOAA Ocean Exploration at the University of Southern Mississippi and the Cooperative Institute for Ocean Exploration and the Ocean Energy Administration’s Marine Minerals Program.

Invader Mission Laser Diveboat On Board E/V Nautilus | Credit: Ocean Exploration Trust, Nautilus Live

Invader Mission Laser Diveboat On Board E/V Nautilus | Credit: Ocean Exploration Trust, Nautilus Live

Astrobiology