Minimum-Mass Limits for Streamlined Venus Atmospheric Probes

Abstract

Small, expendable drop probes are an attractive method for making measurements in the lower atmosphere of Venus, \,augmenting the capabilities of orbiters or aerial platforms that must remain in the benign temperature region above 50 km altitude. However, probe miniaturization is impeded by the need to provide thermal and pressure protection for conventional payloads. This paper determines the minimum mass limits for an insulated pressure vessel probe that operates all the way to the Venusian surface. Scaling laws for the probe performance and mass of major system components are explicitly derived using a simple model that captures the relevant physics. Streamlining the probe is found to be a highly effective strategy for lowering the system mass, but it also reduces the time available for data collection and transmission. Tradeoffs, guidelines and design charts are presented for an array of miniaturized probes. Total system masses on the order of 5 kilograms are plausible with streamlined probes if the desired science measurements can be performed faster than a standard Venus descent timeline.