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A low-cost flying boat mission, with a focus on atmospheric and lacustrine science, could target specific important questions that remain untargeted by any currently funded or planned Titan mission (National Academies, 2022, 2-68, Q6.3d, Q6.4, Q6.6, Q10.4b; Barnes, 2021). Such a craft could serve as a relocatable lake lander (hereafter, “laker,” after the ships of America’s Great Lakes), with an airborne duty cycle target of around 25%, enabling daily hour-order flights. We aim to unlock access to this cutting-edge science with a flying laker. We describe in this paper an integrated, fluidics approach to aerial atmospheric science. Condensation of methane and suspended complex organics can potentially be ingested through a porous or permeable aircraft leading edge, and coalesced via passive capillary features before delivery to the science payload as a continuous fluid stream (see Figs. 2 & 5 for approaches to this). The operational change from aircraft to laker should be natural, allowing atmospheric and lacustrine science operations to complement each other. It may be possible to transition in a seamless manner between the wing-mounted system and inlet ports beneath the waterline. Continuous analysis techniques from the biomedical and environmental industries could be leveraged (Bolze, 2019; Droujko, 2021). The mechanics of liquid collection via a permeable (or perforated) leading edge are driven by capillary action. It may be possible to amplify the ingestion rate using an active or passive negative pressure in the wing. Once inboard, liquid is collected in capillary features and coalesced further by a spanwise collection rod, which mimics the collection methods employed by cacti (Ju, 2012). An experiment to demonstrate this system at a small scale in microgravity is in preliminary design stages. Figs. 3 & 4 show an early scale model test of the capillary collection and coalescence system. In the figures, the ingestion perforations and the collection rod taper are neglected. An option for coalescence and transport could be an array of V-groove channels each featuring a variable capillary gradient (Fig. 5). A third option is promising: by leveraging the strong capillary force between a flexible membrane and rigid structure (Cambau, 2011), an inflatable wing skin liner could be used. This could offer resiliency and mitigate sludge buildup problems.
By advancing our understanding of Titan's complex prebiotic chemistry and exploring avenues for possible life, this study could profoundly impact our understanding of astrobiology. The use of a flying boat or "laker" can shed light on Titan's methane cycle and the link between its atmospheric haze, complex organic flux, and cloud formation - areas largely unexplored by previous missions. The study will employ innovative technology in the pursuit of life beyond Earth, serving as a source of inspiration and reinforcing the importance of continued space exploration. Lastly, the development of new atmospheric sampling methods through this project may find applications on Earth and other planets like Venus, broadening the scope of their impact.
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