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Abstract DGP2026-72


TRIPLE and the TRIPLE-IceCraft Melting Probe for the Exploration of Subglacial Environments on Earth and in Space

Dirk Heinen (1), Jan Audehm (1), Clemens Espe (2), Alexandros Deslis (1), Mia Giang Do (1), Marco Feldmann (2), Gero Francke (2), Lukas Michels (1), Fabian Schöttler (2), Christopher Wiebusch (1), Simon Zierke (1)
(1) RWTH Aachen University - Physics Institute III B, Aachen, Germany; (2) GSI - Gesellschaft für Systementwicklung und Instrumentierung mbH, Aachen, Germany


The TRIPLE (Technologies for Rapid Ice Penetration and Subglacial Lake Exploration) project, initiated by the German Space Agency at DLR, aims to develop an autonomous exploration system for subglacial lakes and ocean environments. This system is designed to conduct contamination-free explorations in extreme conditions, contributing to future space missions searching for extraterrestrial life on icy moons like Europa or Enceladus.

TRIPLE's primary objective is to develop a comprehensive exploration system that includes three core components: a fully retrievable melting probe, TRIPLE-IceCraft, for penetrating ice; an autonomous underwater vehicle, TRIPLE-nanoAUV, for exploring subglacial water reservoirs; and an astrobiological laboratory, TRIPLE-AstroBioLab, for in-situ analysis of collected samples. The operational capabilities of these technologies will be validated through a series of test campaigns in Antarctica, particularly at Dome C. This area is of great interest due to the anticipated presence of subglacial lakes beneath a thick ice shell several kilometers deep.

The TRIPLE-IceCraft melting probe is designed as a modular payload carrier system, to transport arbitrary scientific payloads through ice. The design is capable of traversing several hundred metres of ice, penetrating into a subglacial ocean or lake, and later returning to the surface. The TRIPLE-IceCraft has been tested in an analogue scenario on the Ekström Ice Shelf in Antarctica in 2023 and 2024.

In this talk we present the TRIPLE project, the melting probes design and the results of the test campaigns.