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Recent miniaturization of electronics in very small, low-cost and low-powerconfigurations suitable for use in spacecraft have inspired innovativesmall-scale satellite concepts, such as ChipSats, centimeter-scale satelliteswith a mass of a few grams. These extremely small spacecraft have the potentialto usher in a new age of space science accessibility. Due to their lowballistic coefficient, ChipSats can potentially be used in a swarmconstellation for extended surveys of planetary atmospheres, providing largeamounts of data with high reliability and redundancy. We present a preliminaryfeasibility analysis of a ChipSat planetary atmospheric entry mission with thepurpose of searching for traces of microscopic lifeforms in the atmosphere ofVenus. Indeed, the lower cloud layer of the Venusian atmosphere could be a goodtarget for searching for microbial lifeforms, due to the favourable atmosphericconditions and the presence of micron-sized sulfuric acid aerosols. A numericalmodel simulating the planetary entry of a spacecraft of specified geometry,applicable to any atmosphere for which sufficient atmospheric data areavailable, is implemented and verified. The results are used to create ahigh-level design of a ChipSat mission cruising in the Venusian atmosphere ataltitudes favorable for the existence of life. The paper discusses the ChipSatmission concept and considerations about the spacecraft preliminary design atsystem level, including the selection of a potential payload.

Feasibility Analysis and Preliminary Design of ChipSat Entry for In-situ Investigation of the Atmosphere of Venus