The European Space Agency (ESA) has officially adopted its upcoming mission to Venus. It’s called “Envision,” and the mission promises to provide valuable insights into the planet’s climate, history, and geological activity. This raises the age-old question: was Venus ever capable of supporting life?
Understanding Venus: Earth’s fiery twin
Described as brilliant yellow-white in color, Venus is the third brightest natural object in the sky after the Sun and the Moon. Despite being similar in size and mass to its “twin” neighbor, Earth, conditions on Venus are extremely hostile. It boasts the densest atmosphere among the solar system’s rocky planets, as it is covered predominantly by sulfuric acid clouds.
Furthermore, surface temperatures on the Morning Star average 867 degrees Fahrenheit and boast an atmospheric pressure 92 times that of our planet.
As you can imagine, these are extreme conditions, which makes understanding how Venus evolved into such an inhospitable world quite a scientific challenge. Despite previous missions conducted by other space agencies, we’re still quite far off from understanding the fiery planet’s past and how it came to be inhospitable. Fortunately, ESA is ready to tackle this challenge head-on.
How ESA plans to bring the Morning Star’s dark secrets to light
Following the recent and successful completion of the study phase, Thomas Voirin, ESA Envision study manager, says they are ready to proceed with the next steps in the mission’s development.
“We’re very excited about moving to the next step,” Voirin said. “Envision will answer longstanding open questions about Venus, arguably the least understood of the solar system’s terrestrial planets.”
To answer these questions, Envision aims to investigate the relationship between Venus’ surface, interior, and atmosphere “with unprecedented accuracy.” The mission will utilize advanced measurement techniques in order to study geological activity and potentially identify active volcanoes at the surface and in the atmosphere.
Additionally, it will delve deep into the planet’s structure, including its core, mantle, and crust. It will also investigate how geological processes affect the atmosphere, weather, and climate, potentially offering insights into Venus’ past habitability.
Envisioning a new era of Venus exploration
To carry out these investigations, Envision will be employing cutting-edge scientific instruments—including a subsurface radar sounder and the VenSAR radar—to probe beneath Venus’ hot surface and map out its tempestuous terrain, achieving resolutions of up to 10 meters.
To expand and enrich this body of knowledge, additional missions will be launched alongside Envision. ESA is partnering with top American space agency NASA, which plans to launch two missions to Venus: DAVINCI will explore the atmosphere, while VERITAS will focus on analyzing the planet’s topography and geological history.
As part of its mission program, Envision will incorporate scientific instruments contributed by various member states, such as ASI, DLR, and BelSPO. NASA will provide the VenSAR instrument and support through its Deep Space Network, while other agencies will develop additional tools, such as the aforementioned radar sounder. Clearly, this international partnership is essential for the mission’s success.
In due course, ESA will select a European industrial contractor who will take charge of designing, building, and assembling the spacecraft. It will be launched aboard an Ariane 6 rocket, which is scheduled to launch in 2031.
The Envision mission is a pivotal moment in humanity’s quest to understand Venus. By employing advanced technology and fostering international collaboration, ESA aims to unearth the secrets of the Morning Star. This mission will not only enhance our knowledge of this planet, but it will also deepen our understanding of planetary evolution in our solar system. As we await the mission’s launch, excitement and curiosity about Venus continue to grow.