IGF::OT::IGF NASA RESEARCH ANNOUNCEMENT AWARD FOR DEEP ATMOSPHERE VENUS INVESTIGATION OF NOBLES GASES CHEMI…

Public award description

IGF::OT::IGF NASA RESEARCH ANNOUNCEMENT AWARD FOR DEEP ATMOSPHERE VENUS INVESTIGATION OF NOBLES GASES CHEMISTRY AND IMAGING (DAVINCI). DAVINCI WOULD STUDY THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF VENUS ATMOSPHERE DURING A 63-MINUTE DESCENT. IT WOULD ANSWER SCIENTIFIC QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED HIGH PRIORITIES FOR MANY YEARS, SUCH AS WHETHER THERE ARE VOLCANOES ACTIVE TODAY ON THE SURFACE OF VENUS AND HOW THE SURFACE INTERACTS WITH THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE PLANET. UNDER THIS NRA, NASA HAS SELECTED FIVE SCIENCE INVESTIGATIONS FOR REFINEMENT DURING THE NEXT YEAR AS A FIRST STEP IN CHOOSING ONE OR TWO MISSIONS FOR FLIGHT OPPORTUNITIES AS EARLY AS 2020. THE SUBMITTED PROPOSALS WOULD STUDY VENUS, NEAR-EARTH OBJECTS AND A VARIETY OF ASTEROIDS. CREATED IN 1992, THE DISCOVERY PROGRAM SPONSORS FREQUENT, COST-CAPPED SOLAR SYSTEM EXPLORATION MISSIONS WITH HIGHLY FOCUSED SCIENTIFIC GOALS.