Space Launch System could launch Titan balloon mission

Few places in the solar system are better suited for ballooning than Titan. The combination of low gravity and high atmospheric density makes Saturn’s largest moons ideal for lighter-than-air vehicles, and the idea of ​​placing them there has been around for at least 20 years.

So why hasn’t that happened yet? The simple answer is that the required balloon size is too large for existing launch platforms. But the team at Space Launch System (SLS) prime contractor Boeing, whose new launch platform is able to place a large balloon into orbit with the necessary scientific payload, begins to unravel the mysteries of this intriguing satellite. I believe it is possible. .

Although we’ve reported on various balloon missions to Titan, including some that “walk,” Boeing’s design is closer to a traditional airship. It has a helium-filled balloon and two ballast tanks, which combined with a cruciform tail allow control of the balloon’s roll, pitch, and yaw.

Balloons control their altitude by taking in local atmospheric gases as they descend, and then expelling them as they ascend. Boeing engineers proposed two different altitude configurations: a 150 m3 balloon for a 5 km altitude, or a 400 m3 balloon for a 20 km altitude orbit. When compressed, both balloon sizes fit into the SLS payload fairing.

Gondolas are where the real magic happens, but the paper the authors published contained few details about what exactly this science is. They mention a variety of tools, including radar and lidar systems, to scan Titan’s surface and track changes due to geological activity, among other things. There are also atmospheric sensors that can detect the presence of organic molecules in the area, which could also indicate what the liquid methane cycle is, if any.

Another important thing about mission design is that it lasts for a long time. The team expects such balloons to last for years in Titan’s atmosphere. During that time, we will be able to notice long-term trends, such as seasonal fluctuations and perhaps why the night side of Titan appears warmer than the day side.

The mission was designed for launch between 2034 and 2036, with several different opportunities in between to take advantage of the low delta-v requirement to reach the Saturn system. However, SLS had its own difficulties that could delay its schedule.

It was launched once in 2022, but the second launch is not scheduled until 2026, almost four years later. It is also unlikely that additional SLS launches will be possible within that time frame, given that they are not reusable and would need to meet NASA’s demand for Artemis launches to the moon.

Not to mention the cost, which at the time of writing is estimated at $2.5 billion per launch. Prices may come down eventually, but they will still have to compete with Starship. Starship is a highly capable launcher, having flown four times since SLS’s first flight more than two years ago.

NASA’s Dragonfly helicopter mission to Titan is already using the Falcon Heavy for launch in 2028. Although the Falcon Heavy does not have the payload capacity of the SLS, there is still potential for a smaller version of the same mission to Titan. Eventually, as access to space becomes cheaper and there are more and more launch platforms capable of sending balloons into this unique world, missions will one day be approved, but we will see I don’t know yet how we’ll get there.