BRUIE
An under-surface rover designed to explore alien oceans
Robot Statistics
Length
0.5 Meters
Ability
Underwater Roving
Status
In DevelopmentPotential Destinations
Europa, Icy Moons
Animal Analog: Fish
About BRUIE
BRUIE, or the Buoyant Rover for Under-Ice Exploration, is being developed at JPL for underwater exploration in ice-covered regions on Earth, and in the icy waters of ocean worlds elsewhere in our solar system. The long-term goal is to be able to deploy BRUIE for autonomous operations in an alien ocean, where it would search for signs of life at the boundary between the ice shell and ocean.
Ceiling Rover
Equipped with two wheels to roll along beneath the ice, this buoyant rover can take images and collect data on the important region where water and ice meet, what scientists call the "ice-water interface."
Field Tested
BRUIE's endurance was tested at Australia's Casey research station in Antarctica, in preparation for a mission that could one day search for life in ocean worlds beyond Earth.
Video: Buoyant Rover for Under Ice Exploration