Re: Titan Rover vs. Titan Balloon

From: David Nakamoto (res07oeg_at_verizon.net)
Date: 01/24/05 

Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2005 21:25:03 GMT

Comparing Mars to Titan is like comparing Bermuda during the summer with
Antarctica during its winter. It might be possible to design a balloon to use
solar heating to inflate and deflate itself on Mars, but Titan it a lot farther
away, the atmosphere is thicker and therefore acts like a thermal blanket, and
the temperatures a lot colder. As an electronics and systems engineer, I don't
see the problems of a balloon to be any less in number, or any less daunting,
than a rover. We simply don't know, and cannot really test for, the properties
of a balloon in a Titan environment. I also see the same problems with a rover,
but at least with a rover you can see, stop, and consider your next move at a
leisurely pace, where a balloon is going to keep going right into that hillside.

So at this time, I don't see that a balloon is any better from an engineering
development standpoint and uncertainties as to whether it will work standpoint
over a rover. But at least the rover won't be moving uncontrollably as you try
and figure out how to avoid that hill in front of you. 

-- 
   Sincerely,
   --- Dave
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It don't mean a thing
    unless it has that certain "je ne sais quoi"
               Duke Ellington
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"PaulCsouls" <paulcsouls@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message 
news:g9mav0dj5v8vktuvhvjsfchvl7inaqu4dp@4ax.com...
>
> Here is the article that inpired my comment.
>
> http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/01/21/space.titan.reut/index.html
>
> And here are articles about about a hot air balloon on Mars.
> http://www.howstuffworks.com/news-item202.htm
> http://www.spacechannel.org/pumpkin.html
>
> Yes you will need batteries, but as an electronics engineer I know the
> electronics need alot less power than motors. You will need to power
> the transmitters and an orbital repeater is not difficult technology
> if we don't pack alot of science into the orbiter. Also with the low
> temperatures I feel lubricating moving parts will be a big challenge.
> Okay maybe landing is more difficult than I thought but I believe I
> saw originally some Mars balloons designed to fly during the day
> heated by solar power and land at night. I don't think a Titan rover
> will happen anytime soon. I think a balloon is a more reasonable goal.
>
> Paul C.
>
> On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 08:21:34 GMT, "David Nakamoto"
> <res07oeg@verizon.net> wrote:
>
>>You need batteries whether you fly or drive.  Or do you think the instruments 
>>on
>>board don't need electrical power, let alone the computer to control the
>>balloon's altitude and terrain avoidance?
>>
>>And you can't use solar cells.  Not enough power.  So you're going to use some
>>form of battery to power the thing, no matter what.
>>QED
>>
>>Also, the original poster had his balloon landing now and again to do insitu
>>measurements.  Landing a balloon over a selected spot is tricky at best and
>>impossible at worst.  Adding this to the mission complicates things, 
>>especially
>>if the goal is to find an interesting site and then go there to investigate.
>>
>>Of course, you could try doing both at the same time.  This sounds reasonable 
>>to
>>me.  The balloon stays aloft, depending on how much altitude variance is found
>>on Titan. The rover ferrets a much smaller area in detail.
>

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Titan Rover vs. Titan Balloon
    ... more reasonable goal than a rover. ... I think launching a balloon probe ... to Titan in the next decade is doable. ... >The only problem would be that this would require a supporting orbiter ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)
  • Re: Titan Rover vs. Titan Balloon
    ... It might be possible to design a balloon to use ... >of a balloon in a Titan environment. ... I also see the same problems with a rover, ... Not as safe a place as Mars, but a tumbleweed may prove more ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)
  • Re: Titan Rover vs. Titan Balloon
    ... How about this fat wheeled rover. ... It might be possible to design a balloon to use ... >>solar heating to inflate and deflate itself on Mars, but Titan it a lot farther ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)
  • Re: Titan Rover vs. Titan Balloon
    ... Rover, balloon or whatever, they should do it quick. ... >solar heating to inflate and deflate itself on Mars, but Titan it a lot farther ... >development standpoint and uncertainties as to whether it will work standpoint ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)
  • Titan Rover vs. Titan Balloon
    ... There's talk now of sending a rover similiar to the Mars rover to ... I think with Titan's thick atmosphere and the much greater ... distance a balloon is a better idea. ... than a rover for Titan and cover a much larger area. ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)
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