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SPACE APPS CHALLENGE

Venus Exploration

RedRock Spectrum

October 1-2 2022

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Venus is famously hellish. Temperatures are hot enough to melt lead. Choking clouds of sulfuric acid swirl through its atmosphere. Any lander that survives to reach the surface of Venus faces another challenge: surviving

Problem Definition: “VENUS HOSTILITY"

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SURFACE PROBE

Automation Rover for Extreme Environments (AREE), for detecting Venus terrain and collecting scientific data for long-term longitudinal use.

VENUS ROVER

Combining ancient mechanical systems with modern technology to create design without susceptible electronics, enabling exploration of the most extreme environments on Venus.

STORAGE

Mechanical storage system to sustain prolonged mission in hostile environments. For high power deployment and use as buffer power.

OBJECTIVES AND DESIRED OUTCOMES

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Thermoelectric Generator

Uses electric energy generated from peltier vessel to cool components of space craft. Establishes electrally induced temperature gradient

Mechanical Oscillator

Functions as a mechanical battery (e.g. fly wheel). It oscillates input mechanical force and amplifies magnitude while cycling it, waiting for usage by space craft.

Peltier Vessel

Pressure vessel producing electrical energy from temperature/ pressure gradient.

Venus Turbine

Modified Tesla Turbine designed to harness energy from Venus Winds made up of heavy gases e.g. CO₂ and SO₂ as well as atmospheric sulphuric acid

SOLUTION PROPOSITION MODEL: (4-Component System)

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PHASE 1

The Peltier vessel leverages on inside-outside temperature and pressure gradients to induce an electrical current which is able to power the thermoelectric generator. In turn, the thermoelectric generator uses the supplied electrical power to induce temperature gradients and regulate space craft temperatures. The electrical power is also used to kickstart the mechanical cycle in the hybrid mechanical oscillator power storage.

PHASE 2

The Venus Turbine harnesses kinetic energy of the “Venus-heavy gas- winds” and transmits it to the mechanical oscillator for storage. The hybrid mechanical oscillator works on the principle of cycling and amplifying a force continuously while storing it for spacecraft use in actuation, data collection, processing and transmission, communication and exploration. The output power fed into the space craft is a direct manifestation of the continuous harnessing of input power from Peltier Vessel and Venus Turbine

Functioning Mechanism

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PRO 1

Replaces vulnerable electronics and chemical storage with entirely mechanical designs

PRO 2

Uses high temperature alloys to survive for weeks or even months.

PRO 4

Unlock secrets of Venus and other hostile environments across the solar system.

PRO 3

Longer time to collect and return valuable long term longitudinal data. In situ science in extreme environments

Pros Of The Novel Space Exploration System

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To understand how ocean-bearing planets evolve, potentially fostering life. Incomplete evidence suggests that Venus may have harboured oceans about a billion years ago. Thus, Venus may offer us an insight into our planet’s environmental destiny!

WHY?