THE CHALLENGE OF ENERGY STORAGE AND POWER GENERATION FOR A PLANETARY LANDER IS SIGNIFICANTLY MAGNIFIED WHEN CONSIDERING A VENUS MISSION. WE PROPOSE TO LEVERAGE DECADES OF DEVELOPMENT OF A TRL 9 U.S. NAVY UNDERSEA POWER SYSTEM TO MEET THIS CHALLENGE. OUR SOLUTION MAY ENABLE IN SITU EXPLORATION FOR HUNDREDS OF HOURS RATHER THAN HUNDREDS OF MINUTES WHICH IS TYPICAL OF PAST VENUS LANDERS AS WELL AS CURRENTLY CONSIDERED CONCEPTS SUCH AS THE 2013 DECADAL SURVEY VENUS CONCEPT MISSION VITAL [1 2]. BY INCREASING OPERATIONAL TIME ON THE SURFACE OF VENUS BY ONE OR TWO ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE MISSIONS ARE FAR MORE LIKELY TO RETURN THE EXPECTED SCIENCE WILL OFFER MISSION OPERATORS THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH THE ENVIRONMENT CHOOSING SPECIFIC SCIENCE READINGS (RATHER THAN SIMPLY SEE WHATEVER A PRE-PROGRAMMED PROBE HAPPENS TO FIRST SEE) AND DEAL WITH ANOMALIES THAT WOULD JEOPARDIZE A TWO-HOUR-LONG MISSION. WE PROPOSE TO ADVANCE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE TRL 9 STORED CHEMICAL ENERGY POWER SYSTEMS (SCEPS) THAT INSTEAD OF BEING HINDERED BY THE HARSH CONDITIONS ON VENUS WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE ENVIRONMENT FOR ITS OPERATION. SCEPS SYSTEMS HAVE LONG PROVIDED BOTH ELECTRICAL AND PROPULSIVE POWER FOR UNDERWATER SYSTEMS [3 4] AND ARE WELL SUITED TO THE RIGORS OF PLANETARY EXPLORATION. CONVENTIONAL SCEPS ENGINES MAKE POWER BY BURNING MOLTEN LITHIUM WITH SULFUR HEXAFLUORIDE VAPOR USING THE HEAT TO DRIVE A CLOSED-LOOP RANKINE CYCLE (FIGURE 1). THE INHERENTLY HIGH ENERGY DENSITY OF SCEPS IS MAGNIFIED FOR VENUS APPLICATIONS SINCE THE CARBON DIOXIDE ATMOSPHERE CAN BE USED AS THE OXIDIZER SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASING THE SYSTEM-SPECIFIC ENERGY DENSITY. OTHER TARGETS SUCH AS GAS GIANTS AND MERCURY S HOT SURFACE WOULD BENEFIT FROM THE USE OF SCEPS AS ITS HIGH TEMPERATURE COMBUSTION WILL ALLOW IT TO WORK INDEPENDENT OF ITS SURROUNDINGS. DESIGN SPECIFICS WILL CHANGE BUT THE BASICS OF OPERATION WILL STAY THE SAME.