SIMI VALLEY, Calif., June 2, 2021 ─ KinetX will provide flight dynamics and navigation services supporting Goddard Space Flight Center on the DAVINCI+ mission; one of two missions selected by NASA to explore and unlock the mysteries of our neighbor planet, Venus. The primary objective of the mission is to understand the composition, origin, and evolution of Venus' surface and atmosphere, and to further our understanding of how once habitable planets change over time.
The DAVINCI+ mission will specifically focus on understanding the characteristics, overall chemistry, and atmospheric properties of Venus. Venus’ thick atmosphere consists mainly of carbon dioxide, which traps sunlight, causing a runaway greenhouse effect to take place. Despite the harsh conditions of the current atmosphere, scientists believe that the planet was likely habitable at some point, with conditions similar to Earth. The DAVINCI+ spacecraft and probe will allow scientists to gain further insight into the atmosphere of Venus and its complex components, and further inform theories regarding the evolution of habitable planets.
The DAVINCI+ spacecraft will carry a probe that contains instruments that will take measurements of Venus’ temperature, pressure, wind velocity, and atmospheric composition, and also carries a suite of cameras that will take infrared images to study the surface’s topology and composition. Once the spacecraft arrives at Venus, the probe will be released from the DAVINCI+ spacecraft and will collect measurements of the surrounding atmosphere as it descends. These measurements will allow scientists to further understand the evolution and characteristics of Venus and how its overall environment has changed over time.
KinetX is excited to serve as the flight dynamics and navigation team supporting Goddard Space Flight Center on this groundbreaking mission, and is looking forward to further developing and operating the navigation system over the coming years. More information about the DAVINCI+ mission is available here.
Image Credits: NASA GSFC visualization and CI Labs Michael Lentz and colleagues