Monthly Meeting

Saturn’s moon Titan is a world unlike any other in the solar system. Second in size only to Ganymede, it possesses a dense, nitrogen-rich atmosphere and low surface gravity—conditions that make powered flight not only possible, but remarkably efficient. NASA’s Dragonfly mission takes advantage of this unique environment with an ambitious design: an eight-rotor, plutonium-powered helicopter capable of exploring Titan’s surface from the air.

This presentation explores how Dragonfly works and what it aims to discover. We’ll examine the engineering behind its rotorcraft design, the scientific instruments it carries, and how a radioisotope power system enables sustained operation in Titan’s frigid environment. The mission’s science goals—including the search for complex organic chemistry and clues to prebiotic processes—will be highlighted, along with its planned journey: a 2028 launch, arrival at Titan in 2034, and a 3.3-year aerial exploration campaign.

Speaker: Bill Higgins

Bill Higgins is a physicist and a volunteer with NASA’s Solar System Ambassadors program. He is a frequent speaker on spaceflight, astronomy, the history of science, and science fiction, bringing a lifelong passion for exploration and discovery to audiences of all backgrounds.

Bill spent his professional career at Fermilab, where he worked on the safe transport of high-energy particle beams until his retirement in 2024. He holds a degree in physics from the University of Notre Dame. A dedicated member of the Naperville Astronomical Association since 1989, Bill enjoys sharing the excitement of modern space exploration with fellow enthusiasts.

This event is open to the public and free of charge.