Technology Challenges for Planetary Probes to Dense Atmospheres

Both the 2003 Solar System Exploration Decadal Survey, by the National Research Council, and NASA´s 2006 Solar System Exploration Roadmap identified Saturn, Jupiter, and Venus, as high priority scientific targets and recommended missions to explore them. Specifically, potential probe missions to these two gas giants and a proposed Venus In-Situ Explorer (VISE) mission were listed under the New Frontiers mission class. Deep probe missions to these destinations have much in common. In particular, key technologies must address: environmental protection to provide isolation from the extreme environments; environmental tolerance for exposed components or systems; and operations in these harsh environments. While these proposed missions could be designed with current technologies, advanced technologies could significantly enhance their performance and consequently the science return. Therefore, in this paper we will discuss state-of-practice technologies to mitigate conditions faced by the probes, followed by an assessment of possible mission impacts and benefits resulting from targeted technology developments. It is expected that the findings of this assessment should help NASA plan its technology investments.