While NASA is searching for traces of life on Mars, Rocket Lab will send its own spacecraft
What is known
In 2023, Rocket Lab will start a mission, a goalwhich will be to search for traces of life on Venus. The company plans to finance the mission from its own budget. The spacecraft will be equipped with instruments to search for molecules that contain carbon.
Venus attracted interest a couple of years ago,when researchers wrote an article that phosphine could be in the atmosphere of the second planet in the solar system. This is a gas that is produced by living organisms on Earth. Over time, materials appeared that there was no gas in the atmosphere of Venus. In addition, the phosphine may have a different origin. But despite all the nuances, Rocket Lab will still try their luck.
The company said its mission will be worthmuch cheaper than NASA space agency projects. But the cost has not yet been specified. Rocket Lab will send a probe weighing no more than 20 kg to Venus using an Electron launch vehicle. The mission's launch is scheduled for May 2023. If all goes according to plan, the probe will reach Venus by the end of the year. True, after such a long journey it will be able to work for several minutes, and then will be destroyed due to high temperature and high pressure.
Source: Space.com