This is Earth’s evil twin, and NASA has mostly ignored it for 30 years. Many scientists believe that Earth was a dead planet.
But now the US space agency is planning to send two new $500million (£352m) probes to Venus and has shared a fascinating video of what will happen when one of them plummets to its surface in the early 2030s.
The spacecraft allows viewers to ride along the planet’s atmosphere and see the science experiments that DAVINCI+ will perform on its journey to the hellish place.
Earlier this year NASA administrator Bill Nelson revealed that both missions to the second planet from the sun that are expected to launch within the next 10 years.
Exploration: NASA is planning to send two new $500million (£352m) probes to Venus and has shared a video of what will happen when one of them plummets to its surface in the 2030s
Parachuting In: Viewers can take a trip through the planet’s atmosphere and see the science experiments DAVINCI+ will be performing before they land.
The probe (pictured in the animation) will also aim to determine whether Venus — which is the hottest planet in the solar system with a surface temperature of 500C — ever had an ocean
One of them, VERITAS, will orbit Venus, peering through thick clouds and mapping the surface.
This project aims to learn more about the history and evolution of this planet, as well as to explore why it is so different from Earth. This could reveal whether there are still volcanoes or earthquakes on Venus.
DAVINCI+ will be able to land on the hothouse planet by analyzing deep atmosphere Venus Investigation of noble gases, Chemistry and Imaging.
The probe, which is high-tech and will be dropped to the surface of the planet, will take measurements of the atmosphere. Learn how the structure formed and changed.
It will also aim to determine whether Venus — which is the hottest planet in the solar system with a surface temperature of 900°F (500°C) — ever had an ocean.
NASA has now released a new video to illustrate the science DAVINCI+ will carry out on our twin world.
Giada Aney, a NASA scientist and planetary expert at the Goddard Space Flight Center, Maryland, stated that Venus was waiting for everyone and DAVINCI+ is available to help us get there.
DAVINCI+ will launch to Venus one year after VERITAS. It has two major phases.
The spacecraft will first fly by the planet twice to examine its atmosphere, and then the nightside surface.
It will track the cloud’s changes over time to try and identify an unknown chemical that absorbs UV light.
It will also look for noble gases — such as helium, neon, argon and krypton — in the atmosphere and find out why Venus is a ‘runaway hothouse’ when compared to Earth.
The probe will use infrared light to map the earth’s surface during nighttime work. This is in order to better understand the formation of the strange highlands.
Seven months following the flybys the craft will take a 1-hour flight through the clouds beaming data back to Alpha Regio.
Incoming: As it drops to the surface, the DAVINCI+ probe will measure Venus’ atmosphere to understand how it formed and evolved. After landing, it will capture high-resolution images.
DAVINCI+ will launch to Venus in 2029. It has two phases.
The spacecraft will first fly by the planet twice to examine its atmosphere, and nightside surface.
The device will monitor the changes in clouds over time, and try to find a chemical substance that absorbs ultraviolet radiation.
WHAT ARE NASA’S TWO NEW MISSIONS TO VENUS?
NASA revealed in June that two missions will be sent to Venus for the purpose of studying its atmosphere and other geological features. These will be the US’s first probes to the darkened world for 30 years.
The missions, which have each been awarded $500million (£352m) in funding, are:
DAVINCI+
Pictured: Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigations of Noble Gases, Chemistry and Imaging Probe (DAVINCI+), which will flyby Venus and land on its surface
It stands for what?
Deep Atmosphere Venus Exploration of Noble Gases and Chemistry
How will it work?
The probe, which is high-tech and will drop to the surface of Venus, will take measurements in the acrid atmosphere. Learn how the structure formed and changed.
It will also aim to determine whether Venus — which is the hottest planet in the solar system with a surface temperature of 500C — ever had an ocean.
As it heads toward the surface, DAVINCI+ is expected to return the first high resolution images of the planet’s ‘tesserae’ geological features in Alpha Regio.
These features may be similar to the continents of Earth, suggesting that Venus could have plate tectonics.
What date will it go live?
2029
What time will it begin scientific experiments?
In 2030, the spacecraft will fly by the planet twice to observe its atmosphere and nightside surface.
Seven months following the flybys the craft will take a 1-hour flight through the clouds beaming data back to Alpha Regio.
Is there a big surprise?
It’s not clear if Venus ever experienced an ocean.
VERITAS
Pictured: Venus Emissivity (VERITAS), Radio Science, InSAR and Topography probes that orbit Venus and look through the clouds to map its surface
It stands for what?
Radio Science and InSAR. Topography. Spectroscopy. Venus Emissivity.
How will it work?
VERITAS will orbit Venus, and look through the thick clouds to see its surface.
This project aims to investigate the origins of planet Earth’s geology and why they developed in a different way than Earth.
What date will it go live?
2028
Is there a big surprise?
Venus still experiences earthquakes, volcanoes, and volcanic eruptions.
It will determine the composition of each layer in the Venusian atmosphere.
As it heads toward the surface, DAVINCI+ is expected to return the first high resolution images of the planet’s ‘tesserae’ geological features in Alpha Regio.
These characteristics could possibly be similar to Earth’s continents and suggest Venus may have plates tectonics, according to scientists.
Arney explained that with its mission, the probe will allow humans to see ‘how it may feel to stand on Venus’.
“The findings from this varied data set will reveal whether Venus is truly habitable.”
In June, James Garvin, the principal investigator for DAVINCI+ at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, said: ‘Venus is a “Rosetta stone” for reading the record books of climate change, the evolution of habitability, and what happens when a planet loses a long period of surface oceans.
“But Venus is hard” because every hint is concealed behind a huge opaque atmosphere and inhospitable surface conditions. We have to think creatively to bring the best science tools to Venus with innovative missions such as DAVINCI+.
High-tech probe to measure planet’s acid atmosphere in order to determine how it formed
DAVINCI+ will be returning the first images at high resolution of Alpha Regio’s geological features as it approaches the surface.
Also, the probe will attempt to find out if Venus has ever had an ocean in its distant history.
NASA launches two 500 million missions to Venus, the first in over 30 years.
“That is why our mission DAVINCI+ was named after Leonardo da Vinci’s inspiring and visionary Renaissance thinking. It connects to science, engineering, technology and art.
In recent history, NASA sent two missions on Venus: The Pioneer-Venus mission in 1978 and Magellan in 1985.
Magellan returned to Venus in August 1990 and spent over four years studying the planet before losing radio contact on October 12, 1994.
Japan’s Akatsuki spacecraft is currently orbiting Jupiter.
2019: Researchers believe Venus had stable temperatures in the past, and that it could have had “liquid water” for up to 2 billion years.
Approximately 700 million years ago, it underwent a ‘dramatic transformation’ —possibly due to volcanic eruptions — that completely altered the planet.
Venus presently has a surface temperature of 864 degrees Fahrenheit (462°C).