Navigation of Aerial Platforms on Titan

Future missions to Saturn's giant atmosphere-shrouded moon Titan may involve aerial platforms such as airships or helicopters. A significant challenge is the navigation of such vehicles, both in terms of global position determination and path planning in the zonal wind field, and for local stationkeeping to acquire organic surface samples of astrobiological interest. This paper overviews the Titan environment and the likely science goals and mission scenarios for post-Cassini missions, and examines the various methods (astronavigation, complicated by the hazy atmosphere, but possible at selected wavelengths; dead-reckoning, doppler navigation using an orbiter, expendable beacons, etc.)