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Illustration of the Venus Morning Star Mission balloon and main science probe

The search is on...

Morning Star Missions to Venus
Habitability Probe

Illustration showing the stages of the morning star mission concept from earth to Venus

Mission Concept

Launch May 2031
Entry in Venus October 2031

Search for Building Blocks of Life

Detect and identify classes of complex organic molecules that could indicate the presence of life.

Measure Habitability Indicators

Determine the acidity of the Venus cloud particles.

 

Characterize Cloud Particles

Determine the unknown UV absorber in the clouds of Venus – a nearly century-old mystery.  

Illustration showing the operation of the balloon system with altitude markers

Balloon Operations

Science Instruments

Mass 15 kg

Energy 4500 Wh 

Gondola Volume 34 liters

Nominal Measurement Altitude 52 km

Science Mission Duration 7 days


Gondola Ambient Conditions

Average Temperature (Range) 60 ºC (-10 to 94 ºC)

Average Pressure (Range) 0.8 bar (0.2 to 1.4 bar)

Venus Entry & Orbit

Expected Entry Conditions:
 

Entry Velocity 10.92 km/s

Entry Flight Path Angle -15º 

Peak g-load 125 Earth g’s

Peak Heat Rate ~1500 W/cm²

Total Heat Load ~10.5 kJ/cm²

Illustration showing the Venus entry and orbiter systems

Gondola Subsystems

Image of the Venus Morning Star Mission Gondola Subsystems and main science payload

Mini LEVL Probes

Thirty individual auto-rotating probes, each of 30 g mass, to measure cloud acidity, ammonia, large and small-scale fluctuations in wind, temperature & pressure.

Illustration of the SpaceAM LEVL probe
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Illustration of the Venus balloon system

Primary Instrument

ORIGIN Laser Desorption Mass Spectrometer

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Illustration showing the Venus launch vehicle and rocket system
image of the Venus Morning Star Mission cruise vehicle
Illustration of the Venus morning star mission entry system
picture of the Venus Aerial Platform

Mission Schedule

Morning Star Mission timetable
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