Experts from the BREEZE project are developing bird-like drones equipped with various scientific instruments to “ride the winds” in the atmosphere of Venus.
NASA has announced several concepts for future missions that the agency plans to develop under the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program, as reported by Digital Trends on February 26. Among these is an impressive plan to explore Venus using bird-like drones soaring through its dense atmosphere.
Simulation of a drone exploring Venus according to the BREEZE project. (Photo: Javid Bayandor).
The plan, named BREEZE, is one of 17 projects selected for further research under the NIAC program. The BREEZE research team will receive Phase II funding and may continue to develop the concept for another two years.
“NASA’s space exploration missions require new technologies and new ways of doing things. Researching these innovative ideas is the first step in turning science fiction into reality,” said Jim Reuter, a NASA expert.
The BREEZE project team intends to create exploratory drones using inflatable structures inspired by nature. While this may sound unusual, the idea makes sense when considering the conditions on Venus.
The thick clouds obstruct observations of Venus’s surface from orbit. Therefore, exploratory vehicles need to descend below the clouds to observe effectively. However, the pressure and temperature on Venus’s surface are extremely high, causing previous probes to last only a few minutes on the planet’s surface.
Venus’s dense atmosphere is filled with sulfuric acid clouds, making it an inhospitable environment. However, the atmosphere may still be suitable for drones to glide along strong winds.
“BREEZE will operate at altitudes of 50 to 60 km in the atmosphere, riding the winds in the region and overcoming southern winds to circle the planet every 4 to 6 days,” explained Javid Bayandor, a researcher on the BREEZE project.
The scientific instruments on BREEZE include an atmospheric opacity meter, an anemometer, a magnetometer, a mass spectrometer, synthetic aperture radar, and visible light cameras. These tools will allow scientists to selectively collect samples at scattered or repeated locations for geographical and atmospheric research. These studies will include monitoring weather patterns, determining atmospheric composition, mapping Venus’s magnetic field, and conducting detailed surface scans.
