Orpheus VTOL Aims to Probe Mars’ Hidden Volcanoes for Life Signs

Researchers from the SETI Institute unveiled Orpheus, a vertical-takeoff hopper designed to explore Mars’ volcanic regions—Cerberus Fossae and Cerberus Tholus—by accessing deep pits and caves to search for biosignatures, using onboard tools like a color camera, near-infrared spectrometer, and ground-penetrating radar, in hopes of finding signs of life beneath the surface where conditions may be more hospitable.