The “Titan Air” concept was selected earlier this month by NASA, as part of a… space technology study, and now researchers will be able to develop and apply the ideas using NASA grant funding.
The plane, which will bear the name “TitanAir”, is supposed to fly in the sky of that icy world, before landing on Titan’s lakes, with the aim of investigating the chemistry of Saturn’s largest moon.
The surface of this icy world was completely obscured by a hazy golden atmosphere.
The concept was first conceived of by Quinn Morley of Planet Enterprises in Washington. “The vehicle will soak up methane condensation and organic matter through a penetrating section of the front wing,” he said.
He pointed out that “capillary tubes located inside the wing will collect this swallowed substance in a continuous liquid stream, which can be directed to scientific instruments inside the plane,” according to the British newspaper “The Sun”.
To enable choppy low-altitude flying, the plane will land on Titan’s lakes in a sort of “flying boat,” except that the word boat means to float above the water’s surface, and on Titan the lakes are made of methane.
NASA noted that flying over Titan would be “relatively easy” due to its low gravity and thick atmosphere.
“The aircraft will transition seamlessly between flying through Titan’s atmosphere and navigating its lakes, much like a seaplane on Earth,” she added.
The Titan Air project is described as a “low-cost flying boat mission” focused on science of the atmosphere and lakes of Titan.
Titan is the second largest moon in our solar system, after Jupiter’s moon Ganymede, which is only 2% larger.
