NASA is developing a new miniature, battery-powered probe that could help astronomers map and unlock the internal geographies of moons, asteroids, and exoplanets.
Called the “Gravity Imaging Radio Observer” (GIRO), this breakthrough tool could end costly and complex landing missions. It requires only gravity and radio waves to analyze an alien object’s internal structure.
Gravitational Tomography
GIRO ditches the traditional camera and radar probe approach and instead relies on gravitational tomography and radio signals to measure how mass is distributed beneath an object’s surface.
“Lumpiness,” or tiny shifts in the gravity field, analyzed using the Doppler Effect, helps astronomers track the density and composition of the materials below — a dense iron core would have a stronger pull than a porous icy crust.
All this is done with 100 times the precision of current Earth-based tracking systems.
Low-Cost, High Precision
Low mass and low cost make the photopolymer resin-built GIRO special compared to other gravity-mapping missions such as GRAIL (Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory).
While GRAIL requires dedicated spacecraft and extensive resources, GIRO is ultra-compact, spin-stabilized, and is powered by a 10-day internal battery, allowing it to reach Uranus.
Space-Age Space Probes
According to NASA, GIRO — which is inexpensive and not mission-critical — could go places where no probe has been so far, like the hazardous ring systems of Uranus or fast-moving asteroids. Moreover, when launched as a swarm, it could expand extraterrestrial coverage, upping the reliability of data gathered.
Before GIRO takes to the skies, there are still a few hurdles to cross, such as battery life, signal quality, orbital geometry, adherence to planetary protection protocol, and, above all, politics and funding. If greenlit sometime soon, GIRO could become part of the 2028–2030 planetary mission window.
Image credit: Artsiom P/Shutterstock