NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
In-situ exploration of Venus on a global scale : direct measurements of origins and evolution, meterology, dynamics, and chemistry by a long-duration aerial science stationDrifting in the strong winds of Venus under benign Earth-like temperature and pressure conditions, an instrumented balloon-borne science station presents a viable means to explore, in-situ, the Venusian atmosphere on a global scale. Flying over the ground at speeds exceeding 240 km/hour while floating in the Venusian skies near 55 km altitude for several weeks, such an aerostat can conduct a 'world tour' of our neighboring planet, as it circumnavigates the globe multiple times during its flight from equatorial to polar latitudes. Onboard science sensors can repeatedly and directly sample gas compositions, atmospheric pressures and temperatures and cloud particle properties, giving unprecedented insight into the chemical processes occurring within the sulfuric clouds. Additionally, interferometric tracking via Earth-based radio observatories can yield positions and windspeeds to better than 10 cm/sec over one-hour periods, providing important information for understanding the planet's meridional circulation and enigmatic zonal super-rotation, as well as local dynamics associated with meteorological processes. As well, hundreds of GCMS spectra collected during the flight can provide measurements of noble gas compositions and their isotopes with unprecedented accuracy, thereby enabling fundamental new insights into Venus's origin and evolution.
Document ID
20060044144
Acquisition Source
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Document Type
Conference Paper
External Source(s)
Authors
Baines, Kevin H.
Atreya, Sushi
Carlson, Robert W.
Chutjian, Ara
Crisp, David
Hall, Jeffrey L.
Jones, Dayton L.
Kerzhanovich, Victor V.
Limaye, Sanjay S.
Date Acquired
August 23, 2013
Publication Date
July 1, 2005
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Meeting Information
Meeting: Planetary Probe Conference
Location: Athens
Country: Greece
Start Date: July 1, 2005
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
Venus
radio interferometry
planetary atmospheres

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available