The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) is a NASA spacecraft that will be launched in 2023 and reach Jupiter in 2031. Its mission is to study the moons Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa for signs of life. While all three moons have unique features that make them potential candidates for supporting life, Io, the geologically active moon of Jupiter, stands out as the least likely to harbor life due to its high level of activity.
On the other hand, Titan, a moon of Saturn, has a liquid hydrocarbon surface that presents a unique opportunity for life to exist on this moon. Although Ceres, the largest asteroid in the Solar System, has not been confirmed to have a subsurface ocean of water yet, experts still believe that it may contain very salty water flowing to its surface.
Triton, a moon of Neptune, rotates in the opposite direction of its host planet and has radioactive decay releasing enough heat to keep its mantle composed of water in a liquid state. This raises the possibility of life existing on this moon. Enceladus, another moon of Saturn also releases plumes from its subsurface through its ice shell containing saltwater and organic molecules which suggests that there is a possibility of life existing on Enceladus.
While these moons are still being studied and their potential for supporting life is still unknown, scientists continue to explore new possibilities and push boundaries in our search for extraterrestrial life beyond Earth.
