Turning to Earth’s “evil twin,” Venus, NASA currently has two missions on the books: the Venus Emissivity, Radio Science, InSAR, Topography, and Spectroscopy (VERITAS) orbiter and the Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gases, Chemistry, and Imaging (DAVINCI) probe.
When these missions began development in 2021, they were expected to launch sometime in the mid-2020s. However, due to budget constraints, the missions’ schedules were upended, and VERITAS was put on an indefinite hold. In early 2023, space advocates successfully called on Congress to restart the development of these missions, which was secured as part of the fiscal year 2024 budget. However, both missions are still facing budget-related delays that would push their launches into the 2030s.
Enter The Planetary Society, which organized a Venusian advocacy day coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the end of the Magellan orbiter — the last American mission to the planet. Independent members of the VERITAS and DAVINCI science teams, Dr. Darby Dyar and Dr. Stephen Kane, respectively, came to Washington, D.C., to advocate for fully funding these missions and ensuring a robust, balanced planetary science program.
These prominent Venus scientists spoke with congressional staff about the critical insights these missions would provide about Venus’ geology and climate, their importance in understanding the evolution of terrestrial worlds, and the need for consistent funding to avoid delays that could jeopardize decades of progress in planetary exploration. Primed by the support of space advocates around the country, these meetings helped reignite enthusiasm on Capitol Hill for Venus exploration.
These advocacy days highlight the critical role of public engagement in advancing NASA’s science goals. By connecting experts with policymakers, The Planetary Society continues to push for increased investment in space science and exploration, emphasizing the need for consistent support to avoid derailing progress on high-priority missions and diminishing U.S. leadership in space.