BREEZE- Bioinspired Ray for Extreme Environments and Zonal Exploration

THE BIO-INSPIRED RAY FOR EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS AND ZONAL EXPLORATION (BREEZE) COMBINES INFLATABLE STRUCTURES WITH BIO-INSPIRED KINEMATICS TO CREATE A HIGHLY EFFICIENT FLIER TO EXPLORE THE VENUS ATMOSPHERE. THIS FLIER WOULD TAKE DATA WHILE BELOW THE MAIN CLOUD LAYER AT APPROXIMATELY 50 KM AND RE-CHARGE USING SOLAR PANELS IN THE MIDDLE ATMOSPHERE AT APPROXIMATELY 60+ KM. TENSIONING CABLES WOULD CONTROL THE VOLUME TO ALLOW THE CRAFT TO RISE AND FALL IN THE ATMOSPHERE. THE BIO-INSPIRED KINEMATICS WILL MAXIMIZE FLIGHT EFFICIENCY WHILE ALLOWING A SO-FAR UNATTAINED DEGREE OF CONTROL FOR A SMALL INFLATABLE FLIER IN THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE OF VENUS. FURTHERMORE THE ACTIVE BUOYANCY CONTROL ALLOWS THE FLIER TO VARY HEIGHT MORE EFFICIENTLY THAN EXISTING GLIDING CONCEPTS. MULTIPLE BREEZE CONCEPTS CAN BE FLOWN TO PROVIDE MORE COMPLETE SURFACE MAPPING-VIA LARGER FIELD OF VIEW AND SAMPLING REDUNDANCY AND VERIFICATION. BREEZE WILL RIDE ON THE ZONAL WINDS CREATING AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAMPLE DATA ON THE DARK SIDE OF VENUS WHERE MANY OTHER FLIERS CANNOT GO AND BALLOONS BEGIN TO DRIFT TOWARDS POLAR REGIONS.