Boeing is ready to deliver a research airship to Titan that will operate for years

The combination of low gravity and high atmospheric density makes Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, an ideal place to launch lighter-than-air vehicles. This idea has been exciting the minds of scientists for at least two decades. The implementation of the project has so far been hampered by the gigantic size of such an airship. Boeing claims that its SLS rocket will be able to launch such a research vehicle that can operate for years in Titan’s atmosphere.

Image source: NASA

The design proposed by Boeing most closely resembles a traditional airship. It will be equipped with a helium-filled cylinder and two ballast tanks, which, in combination with a cross-shaped tail, will control the roll, pitch and yaw of the device.

Noble gases from Titan’s atmosphere will be pumped into or removed from ballast tanks for descent or climb. To date, the project provides for two different configurations: a 150 m³ cylinder for operation at an altitude of 5 km or a 400 m³ cylinder for an altitude of 20 km. Empty cylinders of both sizes fit into the payload fairing of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket developed by Boeing.

The project involves deploying radars and lidars to scan Titan’s surface, in particular to monitor changes caused by geological activity. Gas analyzers must monitor the composition of the atmosphere and the presence of organic compounds in it.

Such an airship is expected to be able to operate in Titan’s atmosphere for years, which will help reveal long-term “weather” trends such as seasonal variability, and perhaps explain why the night side of Titan is warmer than the day side.

The start of the mission is possible in 2034–2036 – the developers have calculated several windows of opportunity in these years, which will allow them to reach the Saturn system at minimal cost. However, difficulties in implementing the SLS program may significantly shift this graph to the right. The SLS rocket has only launched once, in 2022, and a second launch is not planned until 2026. There is a possibility that the SLS program will be discontinued altogether.

To date, the launch of the SLS rocket is estimated at $2.5 billion, which further complicates competition with Elon Musk’s Starship rocket, which has already completed four flights since the single launch of the SLS. And Dragonfly, NASA’s helicopter mission to Titan planned for 2028, plans to use the smaller, much cheaper and proven Falcon Heavy rocket.

Currently, access to space is becoming cheaper, and more and more different launch platforms are appearing. This allows us to hope for the implementation of the scientific airship project in the atmosphere of Titan.