# Planet-Exploring Inflatable Planes Northrop Grumman Designs a Way to Skim Venus's Upper Atmosphere By Meghan Young | Published 2015-05-26 | Autos Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/inflatable-plane References: [theverge](http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/25/8654527/nasa-venus-exploration-space-plane) & [globenewswire](http://www.globenewswire.com/newsarchive/noc/press/pages/news_releases.html?d=10134487) Not everyone would be comfortable flying in an inflatable plane, yet thankfully the general public won't have to risk anything when it comes to one of Northrop Grumman's latest designs: the Venus Atmospheric Maneuverability Platform (or VAMP). It's an inflatable plane for [planet exploration](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dianai-solar-sailer) -- Venus, to be specific. Deployed from space, it will allow [NASA](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nasas-latest-initiative) to travel along the planet's upper atmosphere as part of the New Frontiers program. Granted, NASA will have to approve of the inflatable plane design before it can fly in space -- which would be about 10 years away. Although the surface of Venus is uninhabitable, a settlement floating in its clouds would find temperatures, pressures, and radiation levels remarkably similar to Earth. This makes exploring it a tempting endeavor. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.7/10 - Popularity: 61% | Activity: 42% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Autos](https://www.trendhunter.com/autos) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Inflatable Planes for Planet Exploration:** Inflatable planes can be designed for exploring other planets with conditions that would be hazardous to human exploration. - **Innovative Deployment for Space Travel:** Deploying planes from space is another means of space travel that could be explored and developed. - **Alternative Habitable Settlements:** The ability to explore planets with Earth-like conditions will aid in the development of potential alternative settlements. ### Who This Affects Most - **Aerospace and Defense:** The aerospace and defense industry could benefit from the development of inflatable planes for space exploration. - **Space Exploration and Travel:** The space exploration and travel industry could develop innovative means of deployment for space vehicles. - **Sustainable Settlements:** The development of inflatable planes for planet exploration could aid in the development of sustainable, alternative settlements. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Inflatable Modular Greenhouses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/havn.md) - [Seafaring Sky Yachts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/airyacht.md) - [Martian-Informed Inflatable Buildings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/martian-house.md) - [Inflated Design Classroom Spaces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/intermittent-dome.md) - [Exclusive Luxurious Spaceflight Experiences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-space-perspective.md) - [Inflatable Body Digital Drones](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sobar-drone.md) - [Inflatable House-Shaped Tents](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/air-architecture-inflatable-tent.md) - [Global Space Craft Initiatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nasas-latest-initiative.md) - [Inflatable Moon Habitats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/blompod.md)