NASA has set launch dates for two planetary science missions destined for Venus in the early 2030s. The first, the Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gases, Chemistry, and Imaging (DAVINCI), is currently scheduled for December 2030. That is a year earlier than previously planned. The mission will deploy a parachute-assisted descent probe into the Venusian atmosphere. It aims to return the first direct images of the planet's surface since 1982.
A second NASA mission, Venus Emissivity, Radio science, InSAR, Topography, And Spectroscopy (VERITAS), is slated for November 2032. VERITAS will operate from orbit to map the surface using radar. The European Space Agency is also preparing a Venus orbiter named Envision, targeted for launch in 2032.
The sequence may begin earlier. Rocket Lab aims to launch a privately funded probe as soon as next year to search for signs of organic material in the clouds of Venus.