Phosphine could be a key molecule in the understanding of exotic chemistry happening in (exo)planetary atmospheres. While it has been detected in the Solar System’s giant planets, it has not […]
Venus
Posted inBiogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release, Venus
Phosphine In The Venusian Atmosphere: A Strict Upper Limit From SOFIA GREAT Observations
The presence of phosphine (PH3) in the atmosphere of Venus was reported by Greaves et al. (2021a), based on observations of the J=1-0 transition at 267 GHz using ground-based, millimeter-wave […]
Posted inHabitable Zones, Press Release, Venus
Noble Gases And Stable Isotopes Track The Origin And Early Evolution Of The Venus Atmosphere
The composition the atmosphere of Venus results from the integration of many processes entering into play over the entire geological history of the planet.
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Press Release, Venus
Hot Earth Or Young Venus? A Nearby Transiting Rocky Planet Mystery
Venus and Earth provide an astonishingly different view of the evolution of a rocky planet, raising the question of why these two rocky worlds evolved so differently. The recently discovered […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Venus
Deducing The Composition of Venus Cloud Particles With The Autofluorescence Nephelometer (AFN)
The composition, sizes and shapes of particles in the clouds of Venus have previously been studied with a variety of in situ and remote sensor measurements. A number of major […]
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Venus
Rocket Lab’s Private Mission to Venus
Image: Rocket Lab’s Electron-launched private mission to Venus will deploy a small probe from a high-energy Photon. Regular, low-cost Decadal-class science missions to planetary destinations will be enabled by high-ΔV […]
Posted inPress Release, Venus
Venus Life Finder Missions Motivation and Summary
Finding evidence of extraterrestrial life would be one of the most profound scientific discoveries ever made, advancing humanity into a new epoch of cosmic awareness. The Venus Life Finder (VLF) […]
Posted inMissions & Hardware, Press Release, Venus
Mission Architecture to Characterize Habitability of Venus Cloud Layers via an Aerial Platform
Venus is known for its extreme surface temperature and its sulfuric acid clouds. But the cloud layers on Venus have similar temperature and pressure conditions to those on the surface […]
Posted inMissions & Hardware, Press Release, Venus
Aerial Platform Design Options for a Life-Finding Mission at Venus
Mounting evidence of chemical disequilibria in the Venusian atmosphere has heightened interest in the search for life within the planet’s cloud decks. Balloon systems are currently considered to be the […]
Posted inVenus
No Signs (Yet) Of Life On Venus
The unusual behaviour of sulphur in Venus’ atmosphere cannot be explained by an ‘aerial’ form of extra-terrestrial life, according to a new study. Researchers from the University of Cambridge used […]