ENVISION MISSION TO VENUS.
European Space Agency (ESA) has an-nounced a new mission- EnVision mission to Venus.
□ ABOUT :-
◇ It is an European Space Agency (ESA) led mission with contributions from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) .
◇ It is likely to be launched sometime in the 2030s. Once launched on an Ariane 6 rocket, the spacecraft will take about 15 months to reach Venus and will take 16 more months to achieve orbit circularisation.
□ AIM :-
◇ The mission will carry a range of instruments to study the planet’s atmosphere and surface, monitor trace gases in the atmosphere and analyse its surface composition.
□ SIGNIFICANCE :-
◇ EnVision will follow another ESA-led mission to Venus called ‘Venus Express’ (2005-2014) that focussed on atmospheric research and pointed to volcanic hotspots on the planet’s surface.