First private mission to explore Venus postponed
In August 2022, Rocket Lab announced plans to fly to Venus on the first ever private mission to the planet. Rocket Lab is an American aerospace company with New Zealand roots. It specializes in launching Satellites and is particularly recognized Launcher The electron. The last one did its job. First trip In 2017 it became the second most widely used bomber by the United States.
Artist's impression of the Photon spacecraft approaching Venus.
The company is funding the mission, while a team of researchers from MIT and other organizations is contributing to the project's scientific load. There strategy It consists of using a small electron rocket and vehicle The photon sends a small probe about 48 Kilometers Above the surface of Venus, where the atmospheric conditions are similar to those on Earth. The probe, which is only 40 centimeters in diameter, will aim to detect organic chemicals in Venus’ clouds, which could be a sign of life or a suitable environment for life. After passing through the clouds for just five minutes, the probe will begin a slow descent to the surface of Venus, arriving on the surface about an hour after entering the planet.Atmosphere.
In addition to searching for signs of life, one of the main tasks of this mission is to improve the Photon spacecraft. This versatile machine was developed by Rocket Lab for NASA’s CAPSTONE project. It will also be used on NASA’s upcoming mission to Mars next year.
Photon craft configuration for Venus mission
Rocket Lab’s Venus mission, which was scheduled to take place last month, has been postponed and “will not happen in the near future,” according to a company spokesperson. The new publicly announced launch window is January 2025.
It was made clear that the company is focused on its customer missions and that this mission is not a current priority. No other reason was given for the delay. Rocket Lab has huge space ambitions, and upcoming missions to Mars and Venus in 2025 are just the first in a long line. What sets the Photon apart from other spacecraft is its ability to make long interplanetary journeys.
Rocket Lab is a company to watch in the coming years, as scientific developments may arise from its many space research projects.
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