Tampa, Fla.- European Space Agency (ESA) has awarded a contract to Theles Alania Space, a total of € 367 million ($ 383 million), which is a satellite, a satellite to lead the development of envision Was slated to launch in November 2031 on a 15 -month trip. To study Venus.
Envision will take five scientific equipment and a radio science experiment from Space Agencies from Italy, France, Germany, Belgium and the United States – to provide a broad view of Venus from the upper environment from its inner core.
“Any other mission has never attempted such a comprehensive investigation of our remarkable inhuman neighbor,” ESA Director Carol Mundel said in a statement.
“Envision will answer fundamental questions how a planet becomes living – or vice versa.”
Onboard will be included in instruments:
- Synthesis aperture radar (SAR): To map the surface facilities of the planet.
- Wanepek suite: A collection of spectrometers for high-resolution infrared, ultraviolet and near-ending comments.
- Subcarf radar sounder (SRS): To check below the surface of Venus.
- Highly stable oscillator: Supporting radio science experiments.
NASA is providing SAR sensor, called Vensar, and will also help with spacecraft communication through its deep space network.
It is planned to review the system requirements of Envision for 2025. The Thales Ellenia Space is expected to finalize the industrial team and get a full authority to move forward with the next stages of the mission in June 2026.
On reaching Venus, the envision will rely on aerobreaking – a process using atmospheric drags gradually to conduct its orbit. Thels Ellenia Space mentioned this phase, which is expected to last about a year, there are important challenges for the stability and temperature control of the spacecraft.
The company plans to attract its 2016 experience with the Ecomers Tres Orbitter, which successfully used aerobrecking around Mars, although the program’s lander failed to land safely, crashed on the planet’s surface.
The early ecomers program was a joint effort between ESA and Russia, but geopolitical stress arising from the war in Ukraine inspired ESA to Pivot for NASA for later mission stages.
Aerobreaking analysis of Envision and the approach to spacecraft and the class control subcontum (AOCs) is led by the France Division of the Thels Allenia Space. The OHB of Germany is overseeing the mechanical, thermal and propulsion of the satellite.
Venus focus on renewed
Envision Builds ESA’s Venus Express on the heritage of the Mission, launched in 2005 to study the planet’s atmosphere, surface and plasma environment.
In eight years, the Venus Express revealed the major insights including volcanic activity and evidence of atmospheric superrotation. The purpose of envision is to further take this research forward, integrating the surface and atmospheric data to highlight the development of Venus.
The mission comes amid widespread revival of interest in Venus exploration. NASA’s Veritas and Davini Missions have been designed to launch the planet in the early 2030s, focusing on the atmosphere and surface geology of Venus.
