NASA has finally confirmed its Dragonfly rotorcraft mission will be heading to Titan, one of Saturn's Moons, meaning the team behind the project can f

NASA confirms nuclear-powered Dragonfly drone is going to Titan

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2024-04-18 00:30:01

NASA has finally confirmed its Dragonfly rotorcraft mission will be heading to Titan, one of Saturn's Moons, meaning the team behind the project can finalize its design and get to work building the spacecraft.

Things had been looking a little risky for the drone as budgets were squeezed and launch dates shifted – Dragonfly was originally slated for launch in 2026. But yesterday NASA approved the mission and the July 2028 launch date, with a scheduled arrival at Titan in 2034.

The total lifecycle cost of the mission is currently $3.35 billion, approximately double the proposed cost. The increases were blamed on the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain issues, and "the results of an in-depth design iteration." The project was also directed to replan multiple times due to funding constraints in fiscal years 2020 and 2022.

Artist illustration of NASA's Dragonfly over the dunes of Saturn’s Titan ... Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben - Click for source