Re: Will Titan become like Earth?

Thank you for your question. Titan, a moon of the planet Saturn, was 
discovered in 1655. In the 354 years since, we have learned much more 
about Titan, even briefly visiting. However Titan is still shrouded in 
mystery. It is the only moon in our solar system to possess a dense 
atmosphere. Titan's atmosphere contains Nitrogen, like earth, and a 
substantial amount of Methane (unlike the earth). Titan may harbor a 
water ocean beneath the surface, but it is still a matter of study. Most 
of the liquid lakes on Titan are liquid methane. Titan is a very cold 
world. Circling Saturn, it is almost 10 times farther from the sun than 
our Earth.

So will Titan become like the Earth? Not in the near-term anyway. In 
order to provide the thermal radiation to increase Titan temperature to 
habitable levels, the sun would have to substantially increase in 
brightness. In about 4 billion years (give or take), the sun will enter a 
red giant phase. And during that brief period, Titan could get enough 
thermal energy to begin to transform into a world capable of sustaining 
life as we know it. On the other hand such thermal transformations will 
undoubtedly effect its daddy, Saturn, and in turn also effect Titan. So 
it is unlikely Titan will become like the Earth.

But there may still be reasons to go to Titan. While we might not like to 
enjoy a day on the Titan liquid methane beaches, we might like to use the 
natural elements to fuel our space craft as we continue our journey 
through the solar system or perhaps onward to the stars. Plus Titan is an 
excellant laboratory, with a view of the early solar system and perhaps 
early Earth frozen for us to examine.
 http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/solarsystem/saturn/titan.shtml
 http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/saturn/moons/titan.html&edu=high
 http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_titan_061130.html