Key facts
- DAVINCI will send a probe through Venus's atmosphere.
- VERITAS will map Venus's surface by radar from orbit.
- Rocket Lab plans a privately funded probe to search for organic material in Venus's clouds.
- The European Space Agency is building the Envision orbiter.
Two NASA missions to Venus, DAVINCI and VERITAS, are back on track for launches in December 2030 and November 2032, respectively. DAVINCI will send a probe through the planet's atmosphere, while VERITAS will map its surface from orbit. These missions faced threats of cancellation due to budget pressures within NASA's planetary science division, stemming partly from delays and cost overruns with the Psyche mission. NASA also pulled out of a partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA) to supply a radar instrument for ESA's Envision orbiter, which is also slated for a 2032 launch. A privately funded probe by Rocket Lab is also planned for late 2027 to search for organic material in Venus's clouds. Despite past setbacks, scientists expressed optimism about the renewed focus on Venus exploration.