An Aerobot With ISRU Capabilities Could Explore Venus' Atmosphere for Years

By Matthew Williams - April 03, 2026 10:40 PM UTC | Missions
Artist's concept for NASA's High Altitude Venus Operational Concept (HAVOC). Credit: NASA
Artist's concept for NASA's High Altitude Venus Operational Concept (HAVOC). Credit: NASA

In Dante's "Divine Comedy," Hell is described as an "Inferno" with nine concentric circles, the entrance of which has a sign that reads "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here." For the planets of the Solar System, Venus is about as close to this description as one can get. On the surface, temperatures are hot enough to melt lead (464 °C; 872 °F), while the atmosphere is dense enough to crush a human skull (over 90 times Earth's atmospheric density). However, above the cloud deck, roughly 47-70 km (29–43 mi) above the surface, temperatures are stable, and the atmospheric pressure is roughly equivalent to Earth's.

This makes aerial robotic platforms (aerobots) that can operate for years an ideal choice for exploring Earth's "Sister Planet." While prototypes have been built in response to NASA's strategic plans, these designs lack a method for replenishing buoyant gases, limiting their lifetimes. According to a new proposal led by researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) could extend the lifetime of aerobots by using electrolysis to convert atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) into buoyant gas products and an energy source.

The team was led by Kyle Horn, a Ph.D. Candidate from MIT's Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He was joined by researchers from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, MIT's Haystack Observatory, and - OxEon Energy LLC. Their proposal is described in a paper and presentation made at the 2026 Lunar Planetary Science Conference, which took place from March 16th–20th, 2026, in The Woodlands, Texas.

A prototype aerobot is readied for a sunrise test flight at Black Rock Desert, Nevada, in July 2022, by team members from NASA JPL and Near Space Corporation. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech *A prototype aerobot is readied for a sunrise test flight at Black Rock Desert, Nevada, in July 2022, by team members from NASA JPL and the Near Space Corporation. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech*

Design

As they describe in their paper, aerobots could perform landmark scientific investigations into Venus' geophysics and atmospheric science. However, balloon-based proposals are constrained by helium loss from pinholes and diffusion through the balloon envelope. In addition, solar-powered vehicles face challenges due to the super-rotating winds in Venus' atmosphere, which result in a 50-hour nightside traverse for aerial missions. This makes an ISRU-based replenishment and supplemental power strategy a very wise idea.

Their concept relies on Solid Oxide Electrolysis (SOE), a high-temperature electrolyzer that uses solid ceramic electrolytes to convert CO2 into oxygen gas (O2) and carbon monoxide. The design consists of a 12.5 m (41 ft) diameter balloon with a 20 kg (44 lbs) suite of scientific instruments powered by a continuous supply of 10 Watts (W) of electricity using solar arrays. The aerobot will fly at an operational altitude of 61 km (~38 mi), drop to 50 km (31 mi) to replace its helium supply via SOE, and will have a nominal lifespan of our months and a maximum operational lifespan of 10 years.

Science Investigations

Their concept could explore seismic events by studying infrasound wave patterns, which can be detected at an altitude of 55 km (34 mi). There's also the potential for Thermoremanent Magnetism Investigations (TRM). While magnetic measurements are ideally made close to the surface, since signals would be weakened by the extreme temperatures of the planet's crust, weak TRM signals and small-scale magnetic anomalies could still be discerned by an aerobot through repeated passes over a target area. An aerobot would also be able to conduct lucrative studies on Venus' atmospheric chemistry and dynamics.

This includes investigations into why sulfur dioxide (SO2) concentrations change over decade-long periods. While previous in-situ missions have provided some data on this phenomenon, the driving mechanism remains unclear. A ten-year mission could study the entire cycle of SO2 changes and observe them directly. Furthermore, energy transport through the atmosphere's vertical layers cycles with each Venusian year (~225 days), and a 10-year mission could study year-to-year variability.

A key aspect of this mission's lifespan is the ability to recombine some of the gas products from the SOE process to generate power. Used together, CO and O2 can generate power via oxy-fuel combustion, a well-known carbon-capture process, or using specialized electrochemical cells. The enhanced capability enabled by ISRU could also increase the platform's instrument-carrying mass or be used to add payloads, such as deployable assets.

Exploring Venus is one of the main objectives for space exploration in the coming decades. In addition to investigating the possibility that its clouds could support life, there are also the mysteries of the planet's slow (and retrograde) rotation and how it became the hot, hellish landscape that it is today. Knowing the answers to these questions will improve our understanding of how the rocky planets of the Solar System evolved and why Earth became habitable while Venus and Mars did not.

Further Reading: LPSC 2026

Matthew Williams

Matthew Williams

Matt Williams is a space journalist, science communicator, and author with several published titles and studies. His work is featured in The Ross 248 Project and Interstellar Travel edited by NASA alumni Les Johnson and Ken Roy. He also hosts the podcast series Stories from Space at ITSP Magazine. He lives in beautiful British Columbia with his wife and family. For more information, check out his website.