Realization Possibility Of Venus Exploration By Means Of Descent Devices And Drift Probes Complex Program
- Paper number
IAC-07-A3.2.08
- Author
Dr. Victor V. Vorontsov, Lavochkin Association, Russia
- Year
2007
- Abstract
Outstanding results of Venus exploration by means of European Space Agency “Venus-Express” unmanned spacecraft stimulate the planning of new missions towards “Morning Star”. Scientists of Europe, USA, Russia, Japan, other countries are interested in explorations using contact methods: by means of descent devices and balloon probes. ESA “VEP” (Venus Exploration Probe) and Russian Space Agency “Venera-D” (Long-lived Venus Station) Projects provide for flights towards this planet in 2016. In Russia this Project is the part of Federal Space Program. Considerable experience, obtained during creation of the first descent devices, original technical decisions, applied during development of the first balloon probes and successfully realized in “Vega” Project, can be used in future missions. Several versions of balloon borne experiments carrying out scheme are provided, with drift probes deployment on different altitudes during descent device landing in the atmosphere process: 50-60, 30-40 and 10-20km. Preliminary technical developmental works of Russian specialists showed an opportunity of increasing of descent device operation duration on surface in the heaviest Venus conditions (100 atmospheres and 500 degrees) up to 30 days. There is no doubt that successful realization of Venus exploration complex program by means of descent devices and drift probes is possible only in conditions of wide international cooperation.
- Abstract document