Things are finally looking up for NASA's first missions to Venus in a generation
We’re accelerating.” Most planetary scientists will tell you the heyday of Venus exploration was more than a generation ago.
We’re accelerating.” Most planetary scientists will tell you the heyday of Venus exploration was more than a generation ago.
The short version
- The European Space Agency is building another orbiter, Envision, for launch to Venus in 2032.
- The Venus armada might get started as soon as next year, when Rocket Lab aims to launch a privately funded probe to search for signs of organic material in the planet’s clouds.
- That was the update last week at a meeting of the Venus Exploration Analysis Group (VEXAG), a confab of scientists whose research interests focus on the scorching world just sunward from Earth.
What happened
Europe’s Envision orbiter will also launch to Venus in 2032. The Venus armada might get started as soon as late 2027, when Rocket Lab aims to launch a privately funded probe to search for signs of organic material in the planet’s high-altitude clouds.
Why it matters
Budget cuts imperiled one US mission to Venus and delayed the other, then forced NASA to pull out of a partnership with Europe to supply a key part for Envision.
Summary by Nerd News Network. Read the full article at Ars Technica via the links above and below.