A research team has developed a laser-based drill designed to study frozen planetary environments such as Jupiter’s moon Europa and Saturn’s moon Enceladus.
The tool, created by scientists from the Institute of Aerospace Engineering at Technische Universität Dresden in Germany, can bore deep, narrow holes into ice while maintaining low mass and energy requirements.
According to Space.com, the laser device offers an alternative to mechanical drills and melting probes that are typically heavier and consume large amounts of power, presenting a new approach to exploring ice-covered worlds.
The laser-based system operates by emitting a concentrated beam that vaporizes ice, a process known as sublimation, rather than melting it. This allows the device to penetrate ice layers without the need for extending drill rods or power-intensive heating elements. Lead researcher Martin Koßagk explained in an email to Space.com,
“We’ve created a laser drill that enables deep, narrow and energy-efficient access to ice without increasing instrument mass — something mechanical drills and melting probes cannot achieve.”
In traditional drilling systems, the overall weight increases with depth as more components are extended downward. Melting probes, meanwhile, depend on long cables that require continuous high power.
The laser drill eliminates these constraints by keeping all instruments on the surface, sending energy directly into the ice through the laser beam.
The vapor produced during drilling escapes through a small borehole, which also allows the collection of gas and dust samples for surface-based analysis.
The development is intended to provide subsurface access for research on frozen planetary bodies. Koßagk explained that the tool allows more realistic subsurface exploration of icy moons by supporting high-resolution analysis of ice composition and density.
He explained that this capability improves models of "heat transport" and ocean depth on celestial bodies such as Europa and Enceladus.
He also noted that the technology could support missions to the moon and Mars by extracting subsurface dust and ice samples for geological analysis.
The prototype operates at around 150 watts and has a projected mass of approximately four kilograms (nine pounds), which remains constant regardless of the drilling depth.
The researchers estimated that the system could function effectively at depths ranging from 10 meters to several kilometers without additional mechanical components.
Supplementary instruments, such as a mass spectrometer and a dust-analysis unit, would increase total mass and power requirements but would also expand its research capabilities.
Initial tests demonstrated the feasibility of the laser concept. Under vacuum and cryogenic laboratory conditions, the drill successfully penetrated 20-centimeter ice samples.
Field experiments in the Alps and Arctic confirmed the drill’s performance in natural ice and snow, achieving depths exceeding one meter.
Using 20 watts of laser power, the system reached drilling speeds of about one meter per hour, and up to three meters per hour in loose or dust-rich layers.
However, the system faces operational limits. When encountering rock or non-icy dust layers, the sublimation process comes to a halt.
“It is therefore important to operate the laser drill in conjunction with other measuring instruments,” Koßagk said.
He suggested that radar sensors could help identify obstacles beneath the surface, allowing researchers to plan alternative boreholes.
Further development includes system miniaturization, integration of a dust-separation unit and qualification for space missions.
According to Space.com, the compact version could serve as a payload on future landers to icy moons, enabling direct sampling of subsurface material.
On Earth, the same technology has been tested for measuring snow density in avalanche-prone regions through collaborations with the Austrian Research Centre for Forests and the Department of Natural Hazards.
The study's findings were published on September 8, 2025, in the journal Acta Astronautica.
Stay tuned for more updates.
TOPICS: laser ice drill, Enceladus ice drilling, Europa exploration, frozen moon exploration technology, icy moon subsurface study, laser sublimation drilling
