Mission type Reconnaissance Mission duration 2 years (proposed) | Operator NASA's JPL Launch date 2021 (proposed) | |
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VERITAS (Venus Emissivity, Radio Science, InSAR, Topography, and Spectroscopy) is a proposed mission concept by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to map with high resolution the surface of planet Venus. The combination of surface topography and image data would provide knowledge of Venus' tectonic and impact history, the timing and mechanisms of volcanic resurfacing, and the mantle processes responsible for them.
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Proposal Development
VERITAS was one of dozens of proposals submitted in 2015 to potentially become Mission #13 of NASA’s Discovery Program, with Suzanne Smrekar of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to serve as the Principal Investigator, and JPL to manage the project. NASA’s planned budget for Discovery Mission #13 is 450 million USD.
On September 30, 2015 VERITAS was selected as one of five finalists. On January 4, 2017, two competing proposals, Lucy and Psyche, defeated it to be selected as the 13th and 14th Discovery missions, respectively.
Objectives
VERITAS would produce global, high resolution topography and imaging of Venus' surface and produce the first maps of deformation and global surface composition, thermal emissivity, and gravity field. It would also attempt to determine if Venus hosted ancient aqueous environments. Also, current data are highly suggestive of recent and active volcanism and this mission could determine if current volcanism is limited to mantle plume heads or is more widespread.
High resolution imagery would be obtained by using an X band radar configured as a single pass interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) coupled with a multispectral near-infrared (NIR) emissivity mapping capability. VERITAS would map surface topography with a spatial resolution of 250 m and 5 m vertical accuracy, and generate radar imagery with 30 m spatial resolution.
- understand Venus' geologic evolution
- determine what geologic processes are currently operating
- find evidence for past or present water
Scientific payload
The primary mission goals, accomplished by seven objectives, require two instruments and a gravity science investigation over a 2-year orbital mission.
Gravity science would be carried out using the spacecraft's telecom system. The mission design also would enable the opportunity to send a nanosat probe into the atmosphere of Venus, carrying a mass spectrometer to sample the noble gases and their isotopes. For the NASA AO, this fulfills the option for a technology demonstration option. Called Cupid's arrow it would pack a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer into nanosat atmospheric "skimmer".