  Mounting evidence of chemical disequilibria in the Venusian atmosphere has
heightened interest in the search for life within the planet's cloud decks.
Balloon systems are currently considered to be the superior class of aerial
platform for extended atmospheric sampling within the clouds, providing the
highest ratio of science return to risk. Balloon-based aerial platform designs
depend heavily on payload mass and target altitudes. We present options for
constant- and variable-altitude balloon systems designed to carry out science
operations inside the Venusian cloud decks. The Venus Life Finder (VLF) mission
study proposes a series of missions that require extended in situ analysis of
Venus cloud material. We provide an overview of a representative mission
architecture, as well as gondola designs to accommodate a VLF instrument suite.
Current architecture asserts a launch date of 30 July 2026, which would place
an orbiter and entry vehicle at Venus as early as November 29 of that same
year.

Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics;Earth and Planetary Astrophysics