Research Activity on High Temperature Electronics and Its Future Application in Space Exploration in Japan

High temperature electronics is one of the key technologies for inner planetary exploration. The Institute of Space and Astronautical Science(ISAS) organized a High Temperature Electronics meeting in 1991 to survey the related technology. This paper outlines the talks given at that and three subsequent meetings, through which current research activity on high temperature electronics in Japan is introduced. A feasibility study for the Venus exploration is presented briefly as a candidate for a future ISAS mission. The balloon floats below the clouds in the Venus atmosphere at a low altitude of 10 to 20 km, allowing exploration of the dynamics and composition of the atmosphere together with direct observation of the surface of Venus. The environmental temperature is 300-400° C. The mission is believed to be feasible on the basis of currently available techniques.