The European Space Agency (ESA) has officially approved its EnVision mission to Venus, complementing NASA's recently selected DAVINCI+ and VERITAS probes. Venus, long overlooked, is now firmly back in the spotlight.
Venus is poised for a resurgence of exploration. NASA's administrator, Bill Nelson, recently confirmed DAVINCI+ and VERITAS—finalists from the Discovery program—for launch by the end of the decade. But they won't explore alone.
On June 10, ESA announced development of EnVision, targeting launch in the early 2030s. ESA's previous Venus mission, the Venus Express orbiter, studied the planet from 2006 to 2014.
These three missions feature complementary instruments to address a key question: how did Venus, once Earth’s twin, evolve into its infernal counterpart?
Venus today boasts surface temperatures nearing 460°C—hot enough to melt lead—atmospheric pressure over 90 times Earth's, and clouds of sulfur dioxide laced with corrosive sulfuric acid. It's a true post-apocalyptic nightmare.
Yet evidence points to a habitable past, much like early Earth. What drove their divergent paths? EnVision, DAVINCI+, and VERITAS aim to provide answers.
EnVision will deploy radar to penetrate Venus's thick atmosphere, mapping the surface and subsurface rock layers up to a thousand meters deep. Ultraviolet and infrared spectrometers will dissect atmospheric chemistry and surface rock types.
A radio science experiment will detect gravitational variations to reveal the planet's internal structure. The orbiter will also hunt for signs of ancient plate tectonics and volcanic relics that may have ignited the runaway greenhouse effect.
A pivotal question remains: is Venus still geologically active? Scientists widely suspect so, but impenetrable cloud cover demands direct observation. These missions will settle the debate.
