The DAVINCI Mission to Venus

Launching in 2029, NASAs Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gases, Chemistry and Imaging (DAVINCI) mission will bring a rich suite of instruments to Venus to address long standing questions about Earths sister planet. Some scientists think Venus may once have been more Earthlike in the past, with oceans and pleasant surface temperatures DAVINCI data will help us determine if this intriguing possibility is true. Clues to Venus mysterious past may be hidden in atmospheric gases or in surface rocks formed in association with ancient water in the planets mountainous highlands. During two flybys, the DAVINCI carrier, relay, and imaging spacecraft will collect data on the planets day side of unknown compounds that absorb ultraviolet light in the Venus upper atmosphere with an instrument called the Compact Ultraviolet to Visible Imaging Spectrometer (CUVIS); on the planets night