Scientists at Colorado summit discuss human missions to Titan
At the Humans to Titan Summit 2026 in Colorado, scientists got together to chat about what it would take to send people to Titan, Saturn's biggest moon.
They're excited by Titan's thick, nitrogen-rich atmosphere, which could protect astronauts from radiation, but also realistic about big hurdles like the long trip and building safe habitats.
Amanda Hendrix, director of the Planetary Science Institute and president of Explore Titan, says it's time we start thinking of Titan as the next big step after Mars.
Dragonfly launch no earlier than 2028
NASA's Dragonfly drone is set to launch no earlier than 2028 and will spend over three years exploring Titan on its own, gathering samples and checking out its surface.
Scot Rafkin called this summit "the beginning of a long-term effort" toward solving tough tech problems like propulsion and life support for humans.
Another summit is planned around Dragonfly's launch so experts can update their game plan for getting people safely to Titan, and maybe even further into our solar system.