(ORDO NEWS) — NASA‘s Venusian Deep Atmosphere Exploration of Noble Gases, Chemistry and Imaging (DAVINCI) mission will descend through Venus’ layered atmosphere to the planet’s surface in mid-2031. DAVINCI is the first mission to explore Venus using both a spacecraft flyby and a lander.
DAVINCI, an analytical chemistry flying laboratory, will for the first time measure critical aspects of Venus’ massive atmosphere-climate system, many of which have been measurement targets for Venus since the early 1980s.
It will also provide the first lander image of the mountain peaks of Venus, mapping rock structure and surface topography at scales that are inaccessible from orbit.
The mission supports measurements of unexplored gases present in small amounts and deep in the atmosphere, including the basic ratio of hydrogen isotopes, components of water that help reveal the history of water, either as liquid water oceans or as vapor in the early atmosphere.
The Transmitting, Relaying and Imaging Spacecraft (CRIS) has two instruments on board that will study the planet’s clouds and map its high altitude regions during its flyby, and will launch a small probe with five instruments that will provide many new measurements at very high altitudes. accuracy during the descent to the hellish surface of Venus.
DAVINCI will use three Venusian gravity assistants that save fuel by using the planet’s gravity to change the speed and/or direction of the CRIS system.
The first two gravity assists will set up CRIS for the Venus flyby to conduct ultraviolet and near-infrared remote sensing, which will provide more than 60 gigabits of new atmospheric and surface data.
The third Venus gravity assist will prepare the spacecraft for the probe’s descent for entry, descent, science and landing, and subsequent data transmission to Earth.
When the CRIS system is about two days away from Venus, the probe’s flight system will be released along with a one-meter-diameter titanium probe securely contained inside.
The probe will begin interacting with the upper atmosphere of Venus at an altitude of about 120 kilometers above the surface.
The launch of DAVINCI is tentatively scheduled for June 2029, and entry into the Venusian atmosphere is scheduled for June 2031.
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