Europe will go it alone on Venus mission after NASA yanks radar instrument
Europe is looking inward, and perhaps to China, as the White House tries to cancel some NASA partnerships.
The European Space Agency (ESA) is forging ahead with plans for a robotic mission to Venus, after NASA officials decided they would not deliver a US-built radar instrument as previously agreed, according to the mission's project scientist. The European orbiter, named Envision, will produce a detailed map of the Venusian surface, 10 times more precise than the last radar mission NASA sent to the planet in the 1990s.
Venus is hidden beneath a thick cloud layer of sulfuric acid, making it impossible for optical cameras in orbit to observe its surface. Radar is the most effective method to pierce through these clouds and reveal the hidden terrain, allowing scientists to search for evidence of ongoing volcanic activity. In 2024, NASA and ESA signed a memorandum of understanding outlining their collaboration on the Envision mission.
NASA committed to supplying a US-made synthetic aperture radar instrument, which will serve as the primary means of mapping Venus's surface, as well as providing tracking and communications support through NASA's Deep Space Network. In return, ESA agreed to contribute the spacecraft's construction, all other scientific instruments, and launch it into space using an Ariane 6 rocket.
The project scientist emphasized that despite the setback with NASA, ESA remains committed to making the Envision mission a reality.
Written by urgent.news from Ars Technica Science's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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