Why in news?
- European Space Agency (ESA) has announced about its probe called ‘EnVision’ to study Venus, after American Space agency NASA decided to send two missions to the planet.
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About EnVision
- EnVision is an ESA led mission with contributions from NASA. It will be launched on an Ariane 6 rocket, the spacecraft will take about 15 months to reach Venus and will take 16 more months to achieve orbit circularisation.
- Objectives: To study the planet’s atmosphere and surface, monitor trace gases in the atmosphere and analyse its surface composition.
- A radar provided by NASA will help to image and map the surface.
- Other missions to Venus: NASA recently selected two missions to the planet Venus- DAV NC + and VERITAS.
- Previously, an ESA-led mission to Venus called ‘Venus Express’ (2005- 2014) focussed on atmospheric research and pointed to volcanic hotspots on the planet’s surface.
- The first spacecraft to Venus was the Soviet Union’s Venera series, followed by NASA’s Magellan Mission that studied Venus from 1990- 1994.
- As of now, Japan’s Akatsuki mission is studying the place from Srbit.
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