Investigation of the application of aerobot technology at Venus

Abstract

Robotic aerovehicles, or aerobots, can perform long duration detailed studies of planetary surfaces and atmospheres in three dimensions. Here we explore specific abilities of an aerobot mission to Venus using two concept missions: the Balloon Experiment at Venus (BEV) and the Venus Flyer Robot (VFR). Oscillating between 40 and 60 km altitude, the BEV is designed to collect atmospheric data over a nominal lifetime of weeks as well as image the surface. The VFR, with its ability to descend to the surface, can collect cm–m scale visible and near-infrared images of the surface, collect compositional and dynamical data of the lower atmosphere, and measure the composition of the Venus surface with a snake-mounted detector. These concept missions are used to calculate sample aerobot trajectories and descent scenarios which utilize variations in wind speed, altitude and surface slopes to maximize data collection. The trajectories are applied to two example geotraverses across Atla Regio and Ovda Regio. Data collected at these or similar targets by an aerobot can address several unresolved questions about Venus such as the nature of the lower atmosphere and atmosphere-surface interactions and the presence or absence of continental crust.