Self-inflating plane could search for life on Venus

Designing a lighter-than-air plane could help explore the clouds in the Venusian upper atmosphere in the future and detect signs of ancient life.

First introduced in 2014 by Northrop Grumman in the US, the Venus Atmospheric Maneuverability Platform (VAMP) project will deploy an inflated rover from space to probe Venus' upper atmosphere. West Virginia University announced on December 9 that its engineers are developing software that will allow vehicles to automatically navigate through the atmosphere of Venus.

Northrop Grumman's self-inflating aircraft design.

According to the engineering team, the main goal of the project is to provide a software solution that will allow a robotic hybrid to explore Venus. The software will optimize the flight path while calculating wind strength and sunlight intensity, allowing the plane to fly as long as possible.

Northrop Grumman's original design was a self-inflating aircraft that was light enough to fly with very little power, and stable enough to navigate in the strong winds of Venus's atmosphere. Other recent proposals include NASA's High Altitude Venus Operational Concept (HAVOC), which would allow a manned mission to explore the Venusian cloud using large solar balloons.

Many scientists think Venus is a suitable alternative target instead of sending people to Mars. Its orbital period is closer to Earth than most of the year. While the planet's scorching surface is not suitable for life, vehicles hovering in the clouds of Venus will experience temperatures similar to those found on Earth.

If the VAMP spacecraft reaches Venus, it will collect data and provide useful information for any future exploratory missions. Recent research shows that Venus is experiencing a period of climate change that has turned the once-Earth-like surface into an uninhabitable hell. Information gathered by future missions could help increase our understanding of Earth's climate.