NASA Concept Aims to Autonomously Sample Planetary Ring Particles In Situ

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is developing a concept called PRAXIS — Planetary Rings Autonomous EXploration with In-situ Sampling — designed to physically collect particles from planetary rings. No spacecraft has ever directly sampled ring material, making this a potential first in space exploration. The mission targets rings across the solar system, including Saturn's dense rings and the tenuous rings of Uranus and Neptune. Smaller bodies such as Centaurs Chariklo and Chiron, which also possess rings, are among the candidate targets. Scientists believe direct sampling could fundamentally transform understanding of how planetary rings form and are structured.