Balloon to survive at ground level in Atmosphere of Venus

tahanson43206 · 2022-11-19 13:17:43

In another topic (Worlds, and World Engine type terraform stuff.) Void recently introduced the concept of a dome that might be able to withstand the temperature and pressure on the surface of Venus.

Update 2022/11/21 ... as this topic developed, kbd512 suggested a material called ALON as an alternative to silicon-dioxide.

As discussion continued, it became clear (or at least less unclear) that Void's idea might actually work in the Real Universe.

As things stood on 2022/11/21, it seems likely that a balloon/dirigible with an ALON skin might be able to not only survive on Venus near the surface, but actually continue working there for an extended period.

***

This topic is offered as a branch from Void's vision ...

A dome is half a sphere.

Void has shown that silicon-dioxide can hold a solid shape in the atmosphere of Venus, since the melting point of silicon-dioxide is well above the average temperature of the surface of Venus. (Thanks for correction per kbd512).

The hypothesis of this topic is that a balloon made of silicon-dioxide, and filled with a gas so as to equalize the pressure between the interior and the exterior of such a sphere, could float at or near the surface of Venus indefinitely.

It is possible the members of NewMars forum may be able to discover/work out the answer to the question.

However, if by chance there is a NewMars reader not already enrolled as a member, and that reader would like to contribute to development of the topic, please check the Recruiting topic for procedure.

We have over 18000 spammer created ID's waiting for new members.

(th)

kbd512 · 2022-11-19 19:22:11

tahanson43206,

Silicon Dioxide is quartz, and it's melting point is far above (1,713C), not below, the surface temperatures (380C to 462C) of Venus.

If you equalized the pressure between the interior and exterior of this "quartz glass balloon", then that means the balloon contains a lifting gas on Venus that doesn't produce a different pressure at a given temperature, because the gas must be lighter than CO2 for it to "float" above the surface.

From Wikipedia:

Quartz exists in two forms, the normal α-quartz and the high-temperature β-quartz, both of which are chiral. The transformation from α-quartz to β-quartz takes place abruptly at 573 °C (846 K; 1,063 °F). Since the transformation is accompanied by a significant change in volume, it can easily induce microfracturing of ceramics or rocks passing through this temperature threshold.

Somehow, this quartz glass balloon is going to heat up from a temperature many hundreds of degrees cooler in space (-143C to -173C at top of atmosphere at night), to temperatures hot enough to melt Lead (462C on the surface), but that's not going to cause the thing to crack, and it's going to maintain internal pressure on the way down from TOA, meaning hard vacuum to 93 Bars of pressure.

I'd have to see that to believe it.

Somebody better buy the engineer who figures that one out, an entire case of beer, because they deserve it.

Void · 2022-11-19 20:11:41

Domes would of course be on the surface, so constant temps.

But a floating bubble, with insulation on its outside, might do OK floating in the "Temperate" portions of the atmosphere. But I don't know why the structure could not be also composed of other materials. Basically, a floating city?

But yes, thermal changes on a unitary glass bubble might not work out so well.

Done

Last edited by Void (2022-11-19 20:12:08)

tahanson43206 · 2022-11-19 21:11:20

First, thanks to kbd512 for catching the error in my original Post #1 ... I try to catch grammar errors and spelling errors, but that was a ** logic ** error that got away from me.

Second, thanks for feedback from both kbd512 and void regarding the idea of employing silicon-dioxide as a material for a bubble that would ride safely in the atmosphere of Venus, much as a soap bubble rides for extended periods in the air currents of Earth.

This topic is available for contributions by those who are far more knowledgeable about the properties of glass than I am. To try to help to stimulate thought, I would point out that "Pyrex"(tm) is a variety of glass that has properties that allow it to deal with temperature changes to a greater extent than ordinary glass. However, there are limits, and consumers of Pyrex(tm) products often find them.

In this case, I am imagining a melt of glass that has the properties needed to not only survive but do well in the atmosphere of Venus.

For starters, while the floating cities of Void's imagination are ** out there ** as a goal, I would be happy to see a small probe that can float for an extended period in the atmosphere if Mars.

I recently saw a report (quite possibly in this forum) of NASA development of electronics that can run for extended periods at the temperatures of the surface of Venus. A glass balloon probe balloon might be able to carry an instrument package of such electronics for an extended period, and possibly even indefinitely.

(th)

SpaceNut · 2022-11-19 21:35:44

I am not seeing how an insulated glass is not going to pass the temperature of Venus on conduction via its surface contact, as most all insulations are glass fibers.
Any atmosphere inside would via that transfer of heat cause an increase of internal pressure and unless it's a thick wall will eventually cause it to burst. Then again there is that total atmospheric pressure that would crush it.

Calliban · 2022-11-20 05:11:51

The rigid airships of the first half of the 20th century, consisted of an aluminium alloy frame, to provide rigidity, with a tough outer cover over the frame. The outer cover protected the interior of the envelope from weather effects. Lift was provided by internal gas cells containing hydrogen, which were tied to the frame. These were made from cotton and covered with a gas-proof material, such as rubber or animal based skin. The internal gas cells were not pressurised and pressure operated relief valves would open, releasing hydrogen, if internal pressure exceeded external pressure by more than a few KPa. If external pressure increased, then the hydrogen in the bag compressed, balancing pressure.

A similar system could be used for a Venus balloon. A carbon fibre composite frame, covered by a tough and acid resistant outer cover and thin carbon fibre gas cells within the frame containing the hydrogen lifting gas.

Last edited by Calliban (2022-11-20 05:31:59)

tahanson43206 · 2022-11-20 07:32:12

For kbd512, Void, SpaceNut and Calliban ....

Thank you all for engaging with this topic, which itself flows from another of Void's (many) ideas....

For SpaceNut .... (working with your post) ...

1) Can we do without insulation? Glass will NOT melt at the temperature of the atmosphere at the surface of Mars?
2) Why is there need for a difference of pressure between interior and exterior? Gas can endure a temperature of 700+ degrees just fine.
3) The lifting force I am imagining is due to selection of a lower molecular weight for molecules inside the glass sphere

What is needed for this topic to move forward is introduction of some basic facts, along with basic phyics (eg, Boyle's Law)

https://www.google.com/search?q=boyle's+law&oq=boyle's+law&aqs=chrome.0.57j0l3.5446j0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

At the link above, Google has collected a set of images that show Boyle's Law ....

In the present instance, I am proposing that a set of molecules of lower mass (molecular weight) than Carbon Dioxide will weigh less than the equivalent volume of Carbon Dioxide.

Calliban has suggested Hydrogen, and without a doubt Hydrogen would work. But others have suggested Oxygen, which is readily available at Venus.

So! Let us take a cubic meter as a convenient volume to work with...

Let us take the gravity as Earth normal (which is close to Venus' gravity)

Let us use Carbon Dioxide as the exterior gas, because that is the predominant gas in the atmosphere of Venus

Let us use Oxygen as the interior gas, because that is readily available at Venus.

Let us use 700 degrees Fahrenheit as the temperature inside and outside of Void's balloon ...

Now, with those conditions in place, can anyone work out the lift available?

Whatever that lift is, it is the amount of mass that can be allocated to a glass wall for a sphere, to achieve equilibrium.

The human race has considered balloons on Venus in the past, but those balloons have been "traditional" designs such as the ones described by Calliban.

What ** may ** be new (and the province of Void) is the idea of making a balloon with silicon-dioxide walls.

I anticipate a successful outcome of this investigation.

Our members are capable of identifying every possible objection, and our members are simultaneously capable of identifying the answers to every possible objection, so that a robust conclusion is possible.

It would be ** good ** to have a ** really new ** idea arise from this small, out-of-the-way part of the Mars Society.

(th)

SpaceNut · 2022-11-20 09:53:29

Pressure equalization has to do with if you are having humans inside the sphere as dependent to where it is inside the Venus atmosphere. We know that at ground level that its 90 atm while at 50 km in altitude is 1 atm. So, until you know the mass of the sphere you cannot use the lifting equation to show where it will ride.

tahanson43206 · 2022-11-20 10:56:17

For SpaceNut re #8

Thank you for keeping the topic going! The idea of transporting humans inside a balloon with a glass outer envelope is ambitious, and this forum is a perfect place for such a concept to be published and considered.

I would like to focus this topic on the simple physics demonstration of a bubble of gas (hydrogen or oxygen) inside a glass envelope, floating in an atmosphere of carbon dioxide at a temperature of 700 degrees Fahrenheit both inside and outside the sphere.

I'm hoping someone currently enrolled in the forum will be interested in working out the numbers.

I have no doubt there will be lift, because the weight of a volume of oxygen in a surrounding envelope of carbon dioxide is less than the carbon dioxide.

Here is an opportunity for a member interested in putting numbers into a post to show how much lift can be achieved.

For purposes of calculation, I am proposing a volume of one cubic meter.

The temperature is given as 700 degrees Fahrenheit both inside and outside the sphere.

The gas inside the sphere is given as either oxygen or hydrogen.

Oxygen has the distinct advantage of ready availability, but hydrogen is also available on Venus, in minute quantities.

The gas outside the envelope is given as carbon dioxide.

The question to be answered: How much lift will such a sphere experience (the mass of the envelope is not considered at this point)

The amount of lift available for our hypothetical 1 cubic meter sphere is the amount of weight that can be allocated to the glass envelope.

Let's see what we have to work with.

(th)

SpaceNut · 2022-11-20 13:28:19

First problem is inbound temperatures until it slows to its parking location as the velocity will expose it to friction of entry for Venus.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quartz

https://www.momentivetech.com/properties-of-quartz/
Estimated Permeability Constants Through Fused Silica at 700°C

https://material-properties.org/quartz- … ductivity/

tahanson43206 · 2022-11-20 13:45:59

For SpaceNut re 10

Thanks for continuing to think about the proposition of Void, that a balloon might float safely in the atmosphere of Venus, near the surface, if the walls of the device are made of a substance that does not melt at 700 degrees Fahrenheit.

We are postponing dealing with the opening scenario, by considering complications that would become important later on, if the basic idea is found to be sound.

I am hoping a member will be able to "solve" the problem posed, to float a 1 cubic meter volume in the atmosphere of Venus, with either oxygen or hydrogen as the gas inside the envelope.

To repeat:

There is NO temperature difference between the interior and the exterior of the sphere.

There is NO pressure difference between the interior and the exterior of the sphere.

There are NO problems with delivery or any other aspect of the configuration of the test article, because all we are concerned with at this point is the lift capability of the 1 cubic meter volume.

I am hoping a member can provide a robust answer to this question.

If there is a forum reader not already a member, who would like to contribute, please see the Recruiting topic for procedure.

(th)

kbd512 · 2022-11-20 13:48:15

tahanson43206,

My mistake, actually. I puzzled over what this could be, given your description of it. I thought it was some kind of probe with an advanced aeroshell that was supposed to sublimate away, or protect the probe near the surface, or something of that nature.

This was an interesting thought exercise, but quartz is mostly transparent to IR, so the environment inside said glass bubble would quickly become an isotherm that equilibrated to the outside atmospheric temperature. Conductive and convective heat transfer would be so great as to remove whatever thermal management benefits the bubble was intended to provide. If you tried to keep the inside temperature livable, then even very modest thermal expansion coefficients would crack a relatively thin bubble.

Any weak point / stress point, such as a penetration for a radiator to exchange heat, would be where cracks begin, and you'd need to use materials with very similar CTEs or joints for thermal expansion. Most of us have seen bellows joints for exhaust piping with severe bend angles or high temp components like catalytic converters. All of your bubble penetrations would have to be perfectly sealed using something similar that can expand and contract over a wide temperature range without exerting much force on the glass bubble it's attached to, which is easier said than done.

SpaceNut · 2022-11-20 13:59:47

Since our largest diameter payload shroud or flaring is 10 m then that's all we get for a sphere made to work in as a solid. of which we could add a reflective surface on the inside of the sphere to keep it from absorbing but what then do we do if we want light. Yes, ribbing frame inside would give support but that also adds mass to the total before we even start to fill it for use.

Hermetically sealed pass through will be required and reinforcing on top of that to keep it from cracking as noted by kbd512.

What is the overall goal is the question?

tahanson43206 · 2022-11-20 14:17:02

For kbd512 .... thanks again for catching my logic error ... I have corrected the original post.

For SpaceNut .... please re-read Post #10

We need to address the basics before we try to solve more complex problems.

The hypothesis at hand is:

Will a volume of one cubic meter of oxygen (contained by a material that is impermeable to gas molecules, and which has NO mass) rise in an atmosphere of carbon dioxide at the surface of Mars, in an ambient temperature of 700 degrees Fahrenheit both inside and outside the sphere.

All other questions raised are interesting but irrelevant ....

If the answer is yes (as I expect) then what is the lift afforded by the oxygen molecules in this situation.

I'm guessing the answer will be measured in grams, but it might be less than a gram.

It will most ** certainly ** be some positive number, since the molecular weights favor oxygen:

Carbon dioxide/Molar mass
44.01 g/mol

People also ask
Is molecular weight of oxygen is 32?
Gram molecular mass of Oxygen is 32 g. The density of Oxygen is 1.429 g/litre.
The molecular mass of oxygen is 32 . What does it indicate? - Byju's

and ...

Is oxygen molar mass 16 or 32?
The molecular mass of oxygen is 32.
The molecular mass of oxygen is 32 . What does it indicate? - Byju's
https://byjus.com › question-answer › the-molecular-mass...

\All quotes are per Google...

(th)

SpaceNut · 2022-11-20 15:32:50

To repeat a vacuum is the only means to not conduct from a surface through any material to its interior. Hence that is why solar thermal uses it to isolate the glass from the collector inside that carries the working fluid that captures the energy. Such that the outside temperature is not part of the collected energy within.

I also gave permeability of quartz as a link to the content type. Since we cannot manufacture an empty hollow sphere without not having an entry point to fill it that is the highest leaking point. Then to isolate you need a reflective coating on the inside to be applied since you want no visible IR to penetrate the spheres material. Then what do you do for power for internal use?

The question is not just a cubic meter of any gas used but under what pressure as that is the mass of the gas that is required to calculate the buoyancy value when knowing the mass of the structure total. I already gave if you have 1 atm internal that you would float near 50km height give or take since we do not have a mass value for the total.

We have solved this is many topics using the equations required, and you need to deal with all steps of a mission plus how you intend to make use of this sphere.

Mission to Venus

SpaceNut wrote:

A quick little advance google of NewMars indicates that we have had a strong love of Balloons for all types of useages and this is just another case of what we can make use of in this new topic to help fledge out a how to make it possible...
Vacuum baloons
Airship to Orbit?
Balloons to Space
Floating Venusian cities or Venus vs Mars vs Titan revisited
Given the recent rennaissance in Venutian Cloud Cities here
Dirigibles on Mars - A practical means of transport?

kbd512 · 2022-11-20 16:06:59

So...

I can envision deployment of large numbers of small glass spheres, perhaps Helium-filled, with high temperature cameras or LIDAR mounted inside, powered by small nuclear batteries, used to map the surface in great detail. These devices could use small parasails attached to enable the wind to carry them around the planet. High-temperature BNNT streamers would be used in lieu of actual parachutes, to make deployment easier. The streamer is a simple loop of plastic (Earth-bound model rockets and cluster bomb submunitions) or BNNT fabric (high-temperature / high-strength fabric for Venus), wrapped around the sphere. Upon deployment, wind unfurls the streamer and then the streamer acts as a "wind catcher".

I can't see this working for anything much larger than a baseball, though. It's interesting tech, it has its place, but it won't be a habitat for a crewed mission. There are a variety of better options for a crewed mission, most of them involving the use of blimps to float at much higher altitudes where the temperature and pressure are similar to Earth sea level.

We could use these baseball-sized / Christmas tree ornament-sized devices in conjunction with medium altitude blimps that pass over the camera devices once per week, making use of higher wind speeds at higher altitudes, so that the cameras require very low power from a tiny nuclear battery to transmit their cache of data, for aggregation and upload to an orbiting satellite. This is a "camera drone swarm" communicating with a larger blimp drone that's communicating with a satellite, which in turn is communicating with NASA's Deep Space Network. A lot of the communication could be done with low power lasers. The cameras would only need an onboard radio "receive" which would receive a broadcast of the blimp's location, and then the camera turns inside the sphere and fires its communications laser at the blimp to upload the data. It would map the surface using lasers as well.

There are no people or animals on the surface of Venus, so we don't have to worry too much about radiation contamination from the nuclear batteries, nor surface settlements getting "thunked" by falling cameras.

SpaceNut · 2022-11-20 17:59:24

If we used an RTG we would be able to provide a constant amount of heat to the gas to stabilize any temperature from an outside source.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioisot … _generator

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPHS-RTG

The GPHS-RTG has an overall diameter of 0.422 m and a length of 1.14 m. Each GPHS-RTG has a mass of about 57 kg and generates about 300 watts of electrical power at the start of mission (5.2 We/kg), using about 7.8 kg of Pu-238 which produces about 4,400 watts of thermal power. The plutonium oxide fuel is in 18 GPHSs. Note that the GPHS are cuboid although they contain cylindrical plutonium based pellets.

While it would require a larger than 1 meter it is still in a payload sizing and capability to launch to Venus for unmanned long duration camera use.

Now to allow for a closer look does it really require being closer to the surface since we have orbiting cameras on satellites that see quite small objects for each pixel of the camera's array.

This will work for mars and for Venus to slow the incoming entry.

This giant inflatable heat shield could be our best shot for future Mars settlements

AA14kyLp.img?w=500&h=386&m=6

tahanson43206 · 2022-11-20 18:16:28

In search of an answer to the question posed earlier, I asked (bing in this case) for the mass of a cubic meter of oxygen at 90 bar and 700 degrees Fahrenheit ...

It came back with an answer for air (oxygen and nitrogen) 1 bar and 0 degrees Celsius.

What is one cubic meter of air in kg?
User Avatar
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Each mole has a volume of 22.4 liters and a mass of 28.97g/mol at STP, therefore a cubic meter of air is 1.293 kg at 0o Celsius on the coast. An average mass of 1.2kg per m3 at room temperature and standard pressure is often used as a rule of thumb.
∙ 13y ago

The mass of oxygen at 90 bar and 700 degrees Fahrenheit is presently unknown (to me for sure).

The molecules would be compressed by the pressure, but expanded by the temperature.

At this point, I have NO idea which factor would dominate.

In order for the question of lift to be resolved, it would be necessary to find the mass of oxygen at 90 bar and 700 degrees Fahrenheit, and the mass of CO2 under the identical conditions.

This topic is certainly producing interesting visions of what might be done, if the basic question is answered in the affirmative.

Thanks (I think to kbd512?) for the suggestion to include Helium in the mix ...

Hydrogen is rare on Venus (I understand) and Helium would be even less common?

According to www.science.org > doi > science.220.4595.410

Abstract. Helium is removed at an average rate of 10^6 atomsw per square centimeter per second from Venus's atmosphere...

it appears that Helium is generated by decay of radioactive materials in the crust of the planet.

Hydrogen is present in molecules of sulfuric acid. (H2SO4) .... the clouds of Venus are described as thick, so I deduce Hydrogen is available from that source, even though water appears to have been removed due to Solar activity at the top of the atmosphere.

Update:
I asked Bing for weight/mass of a cubic meter of CO2 at STP, and it came back with this:

Carbon dioxide weighs 0.001836 gram per cubic centimeter or 1.836 kilogram per cubic meter, i.e. density of carbon dioxide is equal to 1.836 kg/m³; at 25°C (77°F or 298.15K) at standard atmospheric pressure.
Carbon dioxide volume to weight conversion - Aqua-Calc

So! we have: 1.2kg per m3 at room temperature and standard pressure for Oxygen
and we have: 1.8kg per m3 at room temperature and standard pressure for Carbon Dioxide

Those figures would imply a lift of .6kg (or 600 grams) at STP.

I wonder how (and if at all) that ratio would change if pressure is increased to 90 bar, and temperature increased to 700 Fahrenheit.

One possibility is that since the gases are given the same treatment, the ratio would not change.

However, the actual lift might change.

At some point a member who has the necessary facility with physics will show up, and we'll have the answer.

In the mean time, we have 600 grams per cubic meter of lift to work with.

The question that flows from this result is whether a glass sphere to enclose that Oxygen could be made with only 600 grams of material.

That would be a sphere with a volume of one cubic meter.

The purpose of the glass wall is to separate the Oxygen (inside) from the CO2 (outside)

Reminder: there is NO pressure differential.
Reminder: there is NO temperature differential

Our goal is to try to float in the Venus atmosphere.

(th)

SpaceNut · 2022-11-20 18:44:30

If you place 90 bar at 700'c in the sphere it's not floating and since the temperature will cause it to expand only if the initial temperature of filling is less than 700'c then it will not float, and pressure will not rise since the filling was under the same conditions.
Mass of the quartz shell will go up since the desire is to fill it at high temperature and pressure.

follow the curve for what it was when filled and see how high it goes with temperature rise

https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/air- … d_705.html

We did the equation with the vacuum ball or balloon for mars for lift.

tahanson43206 · 2022-11-20 19:00:25

For SpaceNut re #19

Thank you for continuing to support this topic!

There is NO pressure difference!
There is NO temperature difference!

The ONLY difference is that there is Oxygen (or Helium or Hydrogen) inside the sphere.

There ** is ** CO2 outside.

My expectation is that the 600 grams of lift reported for sea level might carry forward, since both pressure and temperature would be the same inside and outside.

What I'm looking for is a member able to perform the physics equations to show how much lift can be expected.

(th)

kbd512 · 2022-11-20 19:23:54

SpaceNut,

I was thinking of something more along the lines of the nuclear Diamond batteries, which provides a few hundred milliwatts of power.

The protective sphere could be made from ALON.

The camera or laser and microelectronics would use Diamond-based semiconductors.

We're talking about something no larger in size than a baseball, and preferably smaller than that.

SpaceNut · 2022-11-20 19:59:30

From what I remember the ALON is several layers with equalizing pressure in between them so that cracks from the outer cannot make it all the way through.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium_oxynitride

A sphere will roll, and we need a stable axis to be able to not have the camera pointing in the wrong direction for image taking and the same holds true for the antenna to transmit them back to orbit.

If it is actually floating than a roller mass can be used with flip up gates to latch or hold the axis as the mass moves to counter the position required to point the camera and antenna.

This is like building a ship in a bottle, but we have no opening to get the stuff in with.

tahanson43206 · 2022-11-20 21:01:08

Following the suggestion by kbd512 in Post #21

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ALON® or Aluminum Oxynitride is an amazing and unique transparent advanced ceramic that is polycrystalline (made from powder) with a cubic spinel crystal structure. In the popular media and in the Star Trek community, it is commonly referred to as Transparent Aluminum.
ALON® Optical Ceramic Properties - Surmet Corporation
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Aluminium oxynitride - Wikipedia
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Aluminium oxynitride (marketed under the name ALON by Surmet Corporation) is a transparent ceramic composed of aluminium, oxygen and nitrogen.
Chemical formula: (AlN)x·(Al2O3)1−x, 0.30 ≤ x ...
Melting point: ~2150 °C
Crystal structure: cubic spinel
Density: 3.691–3.696 g/cm3
Properties · Applications · Manufacture · Patents

That sure does look promising ...

What I don't understand is why there seems to be a preference for a difference in pressure between the inside of the sphere and the outside.

I also don't understand why there seems to be a preference for a difference in temperature between the inside and the outside.

Neither of those appears to be necessary.

All that (I think) is a material that:

1) does not melt at 700 degrees Fahrenheit and ...
2) does not allow molecules of CO2 to enter the cavity, or molecules of Oxygen to leave.

As reported earlier, NASA has reported success in making electronics that can not only survive but work at 700 degrees Fahrenheit.

Why is the size so small.

With no pressure difference, and no temperature difference, the sphere could be as large as you need to obtain the lift that we have not yet computed.

(th)

SpaceNut · 2022-11-20 21:27:04

If you are expecting, it to be near the surface yes, the temperature is going to be that 700 c but if you are floating many kilometers above the surface; the temperature and pressures are going to drop to 1 atm at a height of 50 km and the temperature is going to be 30 to 80 °C; 86 to 176 °F.

kbd512 · 2022-11-20 21:36:04

SpaceNut,

ALON is or can be a single layer of material, which is what I had in mind. Essentially, this is a Christmas tree ornament made from high temperature glass, with a high temperature capable camera or imaging laser, and high temperature electronics, sealed inside. The glass sphere may not be strictly necessary, but the camera would be protected from otherwise highly acidic / high temperature Sulfuric acid vapor, so perhaps desirable even if low-altitude buoyancy in the atmosphere is dropped from the list of requirements. If high-temperature rovers come to fruition, then land vehicles could also complete the mapping over a much greater period of time.

I'm thinking of using gyros to stabilize the camera inside the sphere. The camera will make physical contact with the inside of the sphere and use its gyros to "point at" or stabilize its orientation, with respect to whatever it's imaging. Alternatively, the camera could be fixed within the sphere and the gyros move the entire sphere, but then the gyros require more power. The entire point of this experiment is to create multiple low-complexity aerial drones (not necessarily low-cost) to fire terrain mapping lasers at ground ahead of the sphere as the winds carry the sphere near the surface at low speed, via the streamer, and to image the surface along the way, bit by bit. A reentry vehicle or the blimp itself could disperse the imaging cameras along its path. The blimp flies at higher altitudes where it can survive, while the camera / imaging spheres fly at a much lower altitude where only they can survive.

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Balloon to survive at ground level in Atmosphere of Venus

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#22 2022-11-20 19:59:30

Re: Balloon to survive at ground level in Atmosphere of Venus

#23 2022-11-20 21:01:08

Re: Balloon to survive at ground level in Atmosphere of Venus

#24 2022-11-20 21:27:04

Re: Balloon to survive at ground level in Atmosphere of Venus

#25 2022-11-20 21:36:04

Re: Balloon to survive at ground level in Atmosphere of Venus

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