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TITLE AND SUBTITLE:
Evaluation of Long Duration Flight on Venus
AUTHOR(S):
Colozza, Anthony, J.; Landis, Geoffrey, A.
REPORT DATE:
2006-11-XX
FUNDING NUMBERS:
WBS 22-390-30-20
PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES):
National Aeronautics and Space Administration John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field Cleveland, Ohio 44135-3191
PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER:
E-15716
SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES):
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Washington, DC 20546-0001
REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED:
Technical Memorandum
SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY REPORT NUMBER:
NASA/TM-2006-214452
SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES:
Anthony J. Colozza, Analex Corporation, 1100 Apollo Drive, Brook Park, Ohio 44142; Geoffrey A. Landis, NASA Glenn Research Center. Responsible person, Anthony J. Colozza, organization code RPC, 216-433-5293.
ABSTRACT:
An analysis was performed to evaluate the potential of utilizing either an airship or aircraft as a flight platform for long duration flight within the atmosphere of Venus. In order to achieve long-duration flight, the power system for the vehicle had to be capable of operating for extended periods of time. To accomplish these, two types of power systems were considered, a solar energy-based power system utilizing a photovoltaic array as the main power source and a radioisotope heat source power system utilizing a Stirling engine as the heat conversion device. Both types of vehicles and power systems were analyzed to determine their flight altitude range. This analysis was performed for a station-keeping mission where the vehicle had to maintain a flight over a location on the ground. This requires the vehicle to be capable of flying faster than the wind speed at a particular altitude. An analysis was also performed to evaluate the altitude range and maximum duration for a vehicle that was not required to maintain station over a specified location. The results of the analysis show that each type of flight vehicle and power system was capable of flight within certain portions of Venus's atmosphere. The aircraft, both solar and radioisotope power proved to be the most versatile and provided the greatest range of coverage both for station-keeping and non-station-keeping missions.
SUBJECT TERMS:
Solar powered aircraft; Venus atmosphere; Stirling engines; Radioisotope heat source; Aircraft design; Aircraft performance; Airships
NUMBER OF PAGES:
26
PDF AVAILABLE FROM URL:
2006/TM-2006-214452.pdf ( 3523 KB )
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