Venus Explorer Capsule

I would like to extend my “Universal Atmospheric Entry Capsule” proposal. An entry capsule that doubles as an explorer for a mission to Venus. The design I had proposed required no propellent and rocket engine to decelerate on Venus. By changing the shape of the capsule, we can make it multi-purpose. A delta wing shaped entry capsule.

The capsule would approach Venus’ atmosphere with a low angle. It would open the air inlets on its nose to allow air braking described on my previous article. The dense atmosphere of Venus would lift the delta wing capsule reducing the effect of gravity and acceleration due to gravity. The capsule would slow down during its descent without needing an active braking system which need to be discarded after use. Once the speed of the capsule drops below a certain level, additional thinner wings would be extended to keep the capsule airborne.  The capsule would then continue exploring Venus over the air like the hard-shell airship I proposed on my previous article. Delta wing capsule would not have an active propulsion system for navigation but follow the wind. Therefore, it wouldn’t require huge amounts of power and big propellers. However, the capsule will have small wind turbines attached on its back for electric generation. They will not induce too much drag on the flying delta wing, but produce renewable electricity all day and all year long. Additionally, applying electric to these turbines would generate additional drag that would be used to steer the capsule during its flight.

The capsule would also have an electrostatic sample attracter attached on a carbon nano tube fiber. This sampler would be lowered from the wing when it is flying close to ground. Then, the electric charge on the sampler would attract and hold dust particles on the ground. After that, the sampler would be retrieved and the particles would be analyzed on board the Venus capsule. 

The overall objective of this design is to explore large areas of Venus in detail from the air. Additionally, retrieve small samples from the ground and analyze them on board. Combining a space capsule and a delta wing plane maximizes the payload efficiency. As a result, nothing is discarded after reaching the planet.