It will come within 93 miles of the surface.
Too hot to work
The European Space Agency is preparing to send an orbiting spacecraft to Venus, a feat that will require some out-of-the-box thinking to survive the planet’s grueling atmosphere.
In a recent statement, ESA described the major challenges facing its EnVision mission. Topping the list of challenges is our planetary neighbor’s “hot, dense atmosphere,” which consists of carbon dioxide and sulfuric acid fumes, making it the hottest planet in our Solar System.
That means the agency will need a detailed plan to safely “surf” Venus’ atmosphere — without its spacecraft burning up like a marshmallow that got too close to the flames.
Aero-Now What?
ESA is currently in the process of developing a tried-and-true “air-stop” method, which involves slowing the spacecraft significantly so that it can lower its orbit just above the inner edge of the planet’s churning atmosphere.
At this stage, it will try to gather as much information as possible about the planet below. If all goes according to plan, EnVision will repeat this process in thousands of orbits.
According to EnVision’s head of research Thomas Voarin, the craft will descend to 93 miles above the surface of Venus to get the best possible images, a process that will require the orbiter to withstand the planet’s hostile atmosphere.
To help it do just that, ESA engineers are testing a range of different materials and coatings to protect the spacecraft’s delicate scientific instruments.
Race to Venus
ESA announced the EnVision mission in 2021 and expects it to arrive at Venus in the “early 2030s,” which is just a few years after NASA’s planned 2029 launch date for its ambitious DAVINCI mission, which includes both an orbiter apparatus as well as a descent probe.
Given the many past collaborations between the two agencies — and the timing of their respective missions — they likely already trade notes.
READ MORE: Preparing a spacecraft to surf the Venusian atmosphere [ESA]
More Venus news: MIT scientists say life may have been discovered on Venus after all
Add Comment