Mission to Jupiter
Io - A Volcanic Satellite
Io is a little powerhouse. When the Voyager spacecrafts flew by in 1979, they recorded nine volcanoes erupting. The spacecraft found over 200 other volcanoes on the surface.
Scientists think that Jupiter is powering the volcanoes by squishing Io a little everytime it goes around Jupiter. Io's inside heats up each time Io gets squeezed. The heat builds up until the inside of Io melts. The volcanoes help Io get rid of some of that heat.
Big Problems:
- Volcanoes tend to erupt without warning
- Io is deep inside Jupiter's radiation belts
- Jupiter is far from the sun so sunlight is very dim
- It is also cold out there - between 100 to 200 degrees below zero Centigrade, except near the hot volcanoes
- Gravity is only about 1/3rd as strong on Io as it is on Earth - how will this affect you and your buildings?
Little Problems:
- How will you keep warm?
- What will you eat?
- How will you make electricity?
- How will you communicate with the other bases and Earth?
Keep these things in mind while you discuss your base.
Want to see what Io looks like?
Click below to return to Jupiter
Click below to go to another moon
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For questions about this page, please contact Carol McKisson.