Space Robotics in Planetary Exploration – Croatian Scientific Contributions and Perspectives
What would it be like to fly through the skies of Venus, Mars, or Titan? Can a helicopter fly in the thin atmosphere of Mars or within the dense clouds of Venus?
The lecture will be presented by Prof. Dr. Zdravko Terze and Dr. Marko Kasalo from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, University of Zagreb, who will showcase the latest research and projects related to the development of atmospheric aircraft for other planets and moons.
The presentation will cover the fundamental characteristics of the atmospheres of Venus, Mars, and Titan, as well as the challenges of flight in such extreme conditions. Topics will include historic missions such as the Soviet balloon flights within the VEGA 1 and VEGA 2 missions, alongside contemporary research and projects focused on developing atmospheric flight vehicles for Mars and other planetary bodies.
Special attention will be dedicated to Ingenuity, the first aircraft to successfully fly on another planet, and the Dragonfly mission, the planned rotorcraft designed to explore Saturn’s moon Titan. The lecture will also present research results achieved through ESA projects including Flapping Flight on Mars and Venus and Flapping Wing Vehicle for Mars Atmospheric Flight.
📅 April 9, 2026
🕕 6:00 PM
📍 Multimedia Hall
Croatian Natural History Museum
Register here
Program Coordinator
Branimir Ivić
branimir.ivic@hpm.hr
+385 99 219 2108