# AVIATR

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Concept mission to Titan

AVIATR Artist's rendering of the AVIATR airplane flying over the surface of Titan. Mission type Titan airplane Operator originally directed towards NASA Discovery program Mission duration 1 year flying over Titan surface[1] Spacecraft properties Power 254 W Total (2 x 128 W ASRG)[1] Start of mission Launch date 2020 (proposed)[2] Rocket Atlas V 521[1]

**AVIATR** (**Aerial Vehicle for In situ and Airborne Titan Reconnaissance**) was a proposed airplane mission concept to [Titan](/source/Titan_(moon)), a moon of [Saturn](/source/Saturn). The concept was developed in 2011 by a team of scientists led by Jason W. Barnes at the [University of Idaho](/source/University_of_Idaho).[1][2] Compared to Earth, Titan has about one-seventh the gravity but four times the atmospheric density.[3] These conditions make it easier to fly there.[3]

## Summary

The **Aerial Vehicle for In-situ and Airborne Titan Reconnaissance (AVIATR)** was a proposed unmanned plane (or [drone](/source/Unmanned_aerial_vehicle)) which if approved, will take [high-definition](/source/High-definition_video) images of the surface of [Saturn](/source/Saturn)'s moon [Titan](/source/Titan_(moon)) to help scientists understand the [moon](/source/Natural_satellite)'s geology. It was planned that at the end of the mission, the unmanned plane will attempt a landing on Titan's dunes.[2][4]

## Overview

The design called for a 120 kg (260 lb) airplane powered by an [advanced Stirling radioisotope generator](/source/Advanced_Stirling_radioisotope_generator)[1] that would have allowed it to fly uninterrupted for about one year. However, the National Research Council's "Decadal Survey" did not prioritize the moon Titan for exploration, and the development of the advanced Stirling radioisotope generator was suspended indefinitely.[2][5]

## See also

- [Nuclear power in space](/source/Nuclear_power_in_space)

- [*Dragonfly* (spacecraft)](/source/Dragonfly_(Titan_space_probe)) (NF4 finalist)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Barnes_Exper_Ast_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Barnes_Exper_Ast_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Barnes_Exper_Ast_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Barnes_Exper_Ast_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Barnes_Exper_Ast_1-4) Barnes; et al. (March 2012). ["AVIATR – Aerial Vehicle for In-situ and Airborne Titan Reconnaissance"](https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs10686-011-9275-9). *Experimental Astronomy*. **33** (1): 55–127. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2012ExA....33...55B](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2012ExA....33...55B). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1007/s10686-011-9275-9](https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs10686-011-9275-9).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Ortiz_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Ortiz_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Ortiz_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Ortiz_2-3) Ortiz, Lillian (2 January 2012). ["AVIATR: An Airplane Mission for Titan"](http://www.universetoday.com/92286/aviatr-an-airplane-mission-for-titan/). *[Universe Today](/source/Universe_Today)*. Retrieved 2 August 2013.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-uih_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-uih_3-1) [*Proposed AVIATR Project Captures the Scientific Imagination*](http://www.uidaho.edu/sci/physics/news/topfeatures/proposed-aviatr), University of Idaho, 2011

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Hsu, Jeremy (10 January 2012). ["Soaring on Titan: Drone designed to scout Saturn's moon"](https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna45946425). *NBC News*. Retrieved 2013-02-26.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["The ASRG Cancellation in Context"](http://futureplanets.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-asrg-cancellation-in-context.html). *Future Planetary Exploration*. December 8, 2013.

## External links

- [AVIATR proposal presentation](http://www.lpi.usra.edu/opag/Oct2011/presentations/1_AVIATR_Barnes.pdf)

v t e Spacecraft missions to Saturn Past Flybys Pioneer 11 Voyager 1 Voyager 2 Orbiters Cassini–Huygens timeline retirement Landers Huygens (on Titan) Planned Dragonfly (to Titan, 2028) Proposed Saturn, rings Kronos Saturn Atmospheric Entry Probe SPRITE Titan Saturn System Mission Enceladus Enceladus Orbilander L4 Breakthrough Enceladus mission Enceladus Life Finder Enceladus Life Signatures and Habitability Enceladus Explorer Life Investigation For Enceladus Titan AVIATR Oceanus TALISE Titan Mare Explorer Titan Submarine Several moons Explorer of Enceladus and Titan Journey to Enceladus and Titan There are no ongoing missions to Saturn

v t e Titan Atmosphere Climate Life Lakes and seas Seas Kraken Mare Ligeia Mare Punga Mare Lakes Abaya Lacus Albano Lacus Bolsena Lacus Feia Lacus Hammar Lacus Jingpo Lacus Kivu Lacus Koitere Lacus Ladoga Lacus Mackay Lacus Müggel Lacus Neagh Lacus Ontario Lacus Sionascaig Lacus Sotonera Lacus Rivers Elivagar Flumina Saraswati Flumen Vid Flumina Dry lakes Eyre Lacuna Ngami Lacuna Woytchugga Lacuna Features Adiri Arrakis Planitia Dilmun Doom Mons Erebor Mons Ganesa Macula Guabonito Irensaga Montes Mayda Insula Menrva Mezzoramia Mindolluin Montes Misty Montes Mithrim Montes Perkunas Virgae Selk Shangri-La Shikoku Facula Sinlap Sotra Patera Taniquetil Montes Tsegihi Tui Regio Xanadu Exploration Past Pioneer program Pioneer 11 Voyager program Voyager 1 Voyager 2 Cassini–Huygens Huygens Planned and proposed Dragonfly (2028) AVIATR Explorer of Enceladus and Titan Journey to Enceladus and Titan TALISE Titan Mare Explorer Titan Submarine Titan Saturn System Mission Titan Winged Aerobot Oceanus Related Exploration of Titan Colonization of Titan In fiction In mythology

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