Specialists from the Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI) are working on new technologies for the exploration of Venus, including methods of aerodynamic braking and thermal protection. The project, funded by the Russian Science Foundation, aims to reduce the mass of the spacecraft and save fuel during its descent into the planet's dense atmosphere.
One of the key technologies is the method of aerodynamic ricocheting — repeated immersion of the spacecraft into the atmosphere of Venus to gradually reduce speed due to friction and gravity.
Our methods will allow us to reduce the speed of the spacecraft without additional energy costs, but this will require the creation of highly efficient thermal protection and will lead to an increase in its mass. Therefore, our goal is a comprehensive thermoballistic optimization based on the analysis of ballistics and heat transfer, which will help to find the optimal ratio between mass and braking efficiency.
To protect against extreme temperatures, composite heat shields with adaptive geometry are being developed, changing depending on the descent conditions. In parallel, methods are being developed for studying the upper layers of the atmosphere of Venus — viscosity, thermal conductivity, and density.
As part of the project, a methodology will be created for modeling and measuring the characteristics of the air flow with which the spacecraft will interact when entering the atmosphere of Venus.
For accurate calculation of trajectories and thermal loads, computer modeling will be used in combination with physical experiments. The project is scheduled for completion in 2027.
The developed technologies can be used not only in astronautics, but also in other industries operating in extreme conditions — nuclear energy, medicine, and robotics.
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