Table of Contents
Does NASA have anything on Venus?
Since then, numerous spacecraft from the U.S. and other space agencies have explored Venus, including NASA’s Magellan, which mapped the planet’s surface with radar. On June 2, 2021, NASA announced it had selected two new missions to Venus as part of the agency’s Discovery Program.
Why is NASA interested in Venus?
Nasa has announced that it is sending two new missions to Venus in order to examine the planet’s atmosphere and geological features. The missions, which have each been awarded $500m (£352m) in funding, are due to launch between 2028 and 2030.
Why is NASA interested in Mars?
Mars is an excellent place to investigate this question because it is the most similar planet to Earth in the Solar System. Evidence suggests that Mars was once full of water, warmer and had a thicker atmosphere, offering a potentially habitable environment.
Can NASA afford another mission to Venus?
NASA cannot afford to add another multi-billion-dollar mission to its portfolio. The Venus community has therefore focused on tight Discovery-class missions in the $450 million range. The odds were in their favor in the most recent Discovery selection process.
Should we explore Venus or Mars first?
Secondly, it’s a lot easier to explore our other neighbor, Mars, than it is to study Venus. Mars won’t melt lead. Rovers there have lifespans now measured in decades. Meanwhile, any robotic mission to the Venusian surface is bound to be short and brutal.
What has happened to Venus’s atmosphere?
This was the first direct measurement of the Venusian atmosphere in nearly 30 years – and it looked quite different from Venus’s past. A study of data from the Parker mission confirmed that Venus’ upper atmosphere undergoes puzzling changes over a solar cycle, the Sun’s 11-year activity cycle.
What data did the Mariner 2 spacecraft gather about Venus?
During a 42-minute scan, the spacecraft gathered significant data on the atmosphere and surface before continuing to heliocentric orbit. Since Mariner 2, numerous spacecraft from the U.S. and other space agencies have explored Venus, including NASA’s Magellan.