A solar-powered airplane is proposed to explore the atmospheric environment of Venus. Venus has several advantages for a solar airplane. At the top of the cloud level, the solar intensity is comparable to or greater than terrestrial solar intensities. The Earthlike atmospheric pressure means that the power required for flight is lower for Venus than that of Mars, and the slow rotation of Venus allows an airplane to be designed for continuous sunlight, with no energy storage needed for night-time flight. These factors mean that Venus is perhaps the easiest planet in the solar system for flight of a long-duration solar airplane.
Exploring Venus by Solar Airplane
2001
3 pages
Report
Keine Angabe
Englisch
Exploring Venus by solar airplane
| American Institute of Physics | 2001
Exploring Venus by Solar Airplane
| British Library Conference Proceedings | 2001
Exploring Venus by Solar Airplane
| NTRS | 2001
Solar Airplane Concept Developed for Venus Exploration
| NTIS | 2004
Solar Airplane Concept Developed for Venus Exploration
| NTRS | 2004