The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) conducted tests
What is known
The device was called an aerobot.The balloon was tested in the Black Rock Desert, Nevada. NASA engineers said that the robotic balloon will be able to control the height of its flight in the atmosphere of Venus. During the tests, the aerobot made two successful flights.
For the exploration of Venus, the balloon willmove at low altitude. This is due to the aggressive environment of the second planet of the solar system. The aerobot will face intense pressure, high temperatures, and an atmosphere of nitrogen and carbon dioxide.
The final version of the balloon will work togetherwith an orbital device that will act as a repeater. During testing, the prototype was able to fly 1 km over the desert, which corresponds to an ascent to a height of 55 km in Venusian conditions. The aerobot will be able to stay at this altitude for several weeks, which should be enough for NASA scientists to obtain information to study the neighboring planet.