<p>NASA is considering sending a sail-powered robotic rover to Venus that could use the planet's high wind speeds and hot temperatures for exploration.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The wind-sailing rover would not only be able to move around Venus, but would also have electronics inside able to withstand the temperatures of 450 degrees Celsius.<br /><br />The rover, nicknamed Zephyr, would spend most of its time on Venus doing analysis on the ground.<br /><br />However, whenever the science team wants to move some distance, it would deploy a sail that could bring it across the surface.<br /><br />One vision sees it sailing for about 15 minutes a day for about a month, 'Universe Today' reported.<br /><br />"A sail rover would be extraordinary for Venus. The sail has only two moving parts - just to set the sail and set the steering position-and that doesn't require a lot of power. <br /><br />There's no power required to actually drive," stated Geoffrey Landis, who works at NASA's Glenn Research Center.<br /><br />"The fundamental elements of a rover for Venus are not beyond the bounds of physics," Landis added.<br /><br />"We could survive the furnace of Venus if we can come up with an innovative concept for a rover that can move on extremely low power levels," said Landis.<br /><br />Landis has had many ideas for exploring Venus, including using a solar powered air-plane and colonising the planet using floating cities.<br /><br />The idea has been funded by NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts programme.</p>
<p>NASA is considering sending a sail-powered robotic rover to Venus that could use the planet's high wind speeds and hot temperatures for exploration.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The wind-sailing rover would not only be able to move around Venus, but would also have electronics inside able to withstand the temperatures of 450 degrees Celsius.<br /><br />The rover, nicknamed Zephyr, would spend most of its time on Venus doing analysis on the ground.<br /><br />However, whenever the science team wants to move some distance, it would deploy a sail that could bring it across the surface.<br /><br />One vision sees it sailing for about 15 minutes a day for about a month, 'Universe Today' reported.<br /><br />"A sail rover would be extraordinary for Venus. The sail has only two moving parts - just to set the sail and set the steering position-and that doesn't require a lot of power. <br /><br />There's no power required to actually drive," stated Geoffrey Landis, who works at NASA's Glenn Research Center.<br /><br />"The fundamental elements of a rover for Venus are not beyond the bounds of physics," Landis added.<br /><br />"We could survive the furnace of Venus if we can come up with an innovative concept for a rover that can move on extremely low power levels," said Landis.<br /><br />Landis has had many ideas for exploring Venus, including using a solar powered air-plane and colonising the planet using floating cities.<br /><br />The idea has been funded by NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts programme.</p>