ESA has officially approved the EnVision mission to Venus, marking a significant step towards exploring the mysteries of our neighboring planet. The spacecraft is set to launch in the early 2030s, with the goal of studying Venus from its upper atmosphere to its core.
Venus has long been a source of fascination for scientists due to its stark differences from Earth. While it is believed to have formed under similar circumstances, Venus is now a hot, seasonless planet shrouded in clouds of sulfuric acid. It rotates backward, has extremely high air pressure, and may still have active volcanism on its surface. These unique characteristics have left scientists with many unanswered questions about how Venus evolved into its current state.
One of the key features of the EnVision mission is its comprehensive approach to studying Venus as a system. Anne Grete Straume-Lidner, EnVision’s project scientist, explains that the spacecraft will investigate Venus’s surface, interior, and atmosphere with unprecedented accuracy. By using multiple measurement techniques, EnVision aims to search for signatures of active volcanism both on the surface and in the atmosphere.
The EnVision mission was announced in 2021, shortly after NASA revealed its own plans to explore Venus. This renewed interest in Venus comes after a prolonged period of limited investigation. NASA’s last visit to Venus was through the Magellan mission, which concluded in 1994.
ESA has had more recent involvement with Venus through its Venus Express orbiter, which operated from 2006 to 2014. Additionally, the Japanese space agency, JAXA, placed a spacecraft in Venus’s orbit in 2015. However, even these missions were launched over a decade ago. If EnVision successfully launches in 2031 as planned, it will mark ESA’s first mission to Venus in a quarter-century.
While NASA has faced budgetary challenges that led to delays and funding cuts for its Venus missions, ESA does not currently have similar concerns. However, the future is uncertain, and a lot can change in seven years. Nevertheless, with ESA’s approval, EnVision is now one step closer to unraveling the mysteries of Venus.
The EnVision mission holds great promise for shedding light on the enigmatic planet. With its comprehensive approach and advanced measurement techniques, scientists hope to gain a deeper understanding of Venus’s surface, interior, and atmosphere. By studying Venus as a system, EnVision aims to uncover the secrets behind its unique characteristics and how it diverged so drastically from Earth. As the launch date approaches, anticipation builds for what EnVision will reveal about our neighboring planet and the broader mysteries of our solar system.