INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
NASA next Venus probe could be an atmosphere-skimming robotic stingray designed by the University of Buffalo
UB CRASH Lab, which is the institution Crashworthinesss for Aerospace Structures and Hybrids laboratory, has been selected by NASA to get
early-stage funding as part of a program the agency devised to come up with new and innovative concept designs.
The stringray-style
spacecraft design would have &wings& that can flap in the high winds of the upper atmosphere of Venus, according to UB, which would allow
controlled flight that possible with high efficiency
Using this design, the BREEZE design (as it called) would be able to make its way all the way around Venus every four to six days, powering
itself back up every two to three days while spending time on the sun-illuminated side of the planet.
Each &day& on Venus is longer than a
year on Earth, because of the way it orbits the Sun
That means that typical spacecraft design wouldn&t necessarily be able to stay aloft and powered in the planet atmosphere using existing
strategies for propulsion and mobility.
BREEZE is still a long way from actually dipping in and out of Venusian clouds, but this
acknowledgment and award from NASA means it one step closer along the path to development.
