Past, Present, and Future Conceptual Designs for Venus Aerial Explorers

With the flights of the Ingenuity Mars helicopter completed and the development work on the Titan Dragonfly rotorcraft/lander proceeding, it is now time to consider aerial flight on Venus. Challenges of developing aerial explorers for Venus are discussed along with past and present conceptual design vehicles. A summary of the scientific impact and necessary instrumentation to understand Venus’s climate and geographical makeup is provided. This paper presents possible aerial-vehicle-assisted approaches to exploring Venus, with an emphasis on rotary-wing vehicles/systems. Aerial conceptual design vehicles are presented in three categories that include flying: above the clouds (altitudes greater than 60 km), below the clouds (altitudes less than 50 km), and near the surface.