Titan Buoyant Atmospheric Glider

Your mission is to explore the atmosphere and surface of Saturn's moon, Titan, a cold, harsh environment that poses many technical challenges for any potential exploration platform. Imagine an inflatable, flying wing-glider that could enter Titan?s atmosphere from orbit, execute controlled movements in atmospheric flight, and descend to the surface for scientific measurement or payload delivery. The Titan-Buoyant Atmospheric Glider (T-BAG) system is a hybrid entry vehicle, balloon, and maneuverable glider with 3-D directional control that could satisfy all of these objectives while operating on the minimal power available from a Radioisotope Power Source (RPS). T-BAG's unique buoyancy control system is at the heart of the proposed innovation, enabling both ascending and descending glide without propulsion systems or control surfaces. Potential T-BAG mission applications include long-lived flight at low altitudes with revisit capability, high resolution surface imaging, in-situ measurements of precipitation, fog, volcanism, etc., and controlled, targeted delivery of landers to the surface.

As discussed in the subtopic, NASA is interested in Titan aerial vehicles with maneuvering capabilities and operational flexibility over a wide range of altitudes. T-BAG could support many Titan missions including prebiotic exploration and astrobiology and habitability studies. While the proposed effort is focused on developing and tailoring a vehicle for the Titan environment, the Buoyant Atmospheric Glider (BAG) system concept in general would be applicable on any solar system body with a prominent atmosphere. BAG's capability for controlled, targeted delivery of cargo (e.g., rovers, landers, supplies) could make it well suited for Mars exploration missions and habitat support. The BAG concept also has many Earth-based applications that are of interest to NASA. It could conduct high-altitude atmospheric science and low-g sample or payload return from ISS. In addition, it could act a space station escape or emergency crew return vehicle.

Buoyant Atmospheric Glider technology may have applications in the Department of Defense (DOD). Organizations such as DARPA, Air Force, Marine Corps., and U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) have expressed interest in inflatable air vehicle technology and hypersonic entry systems. The Small Unit Space Transport and Insertion or SUSTAIN concept was proposed by the Marines in 2002 as a technology to deploy special operations forces (SOF) anywhere in the world within hours. DARPA launched project HOT EAGLE to evaluate suborbital spacecraft for the SUSTAIN program. BAG technology could enable atmospheric re-entry and targeted delivery of SOF personnel using a compact, deployable platform. The same approach could be used for reconnaissance vehicles and payload delivery to remote locations around the world.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 3) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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