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Milestone Announced / NASA

NASA's Venus missions are back on track: DAVINCI targets 2030, VERITAS 2032

After budget cuts threatened one of them and derailed a European partnership, NASA's two Venus missions have launch targets again: the DAVINCI orbiter and descent probe in December 2030, and the VERITAS radar-mapping orbiter in November 2032. NASA has withdrawn its radar contribution to ESA's EnVision, which will fly a European-built alternative.

Why it matters

Venus goes from the decade that almost wasn't to a real manifest: a US probe through the atmosphere, a US radar mapper, ESA's EnVision, and maybe a private Rocket Lab probe as soon as 2027. For suppliers it's two flagship-class buys back in the pipeline, but dates in the early 2030s are a long way off and budget risk hasn't gone away.

Details

Science

Target
venus
Significance
First NASA missions to Venus since Magellan: atmosphere descent (DAVINCI) and high-resolution radar maps (VERITAS)

Coverage

2 reports
  1. techtimes.com ·

    Why NASA Is Returning to Venus After Decades Without a Major Mission

    DAVINCI targets December 2030 and VERITAS November 2032; NASA withdrew its radar for ESA's EnVision, which will fly a European-built alternative.

  2. arstechnica.com ·

    NASA's embattled Venus missions are back on track after cancellation threat

    DAVINCI is now scheduled for December 2030 and VERITAS for November 2032, after budget cuts threatened one mission and derailed a European partnership.

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After budget cuts threatened one of them and derailed a European partnership, NASA's two Venus missi

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