Venus Life Finder Habitability Mission: Motivation, Science Objectives, and Instrumentation

Abstract

For over half a century, scientists have contemplated the potential existence of life within the clouds of Venus. Unknown chemistry leaves open the possibility that certain regions of the Venusian atmosphere are habitable. In situ atmospheric measurements with a suite of modern instruments can determine whether the cloud decks possess the characteristics needed to support life as we know it. The key habitability factors are cloud particle droplet acidity and cloud-layer water content. We envision an instrument suite to measure not only the acidity and water content of the droplets (and their variability) but additionally to confirm the presence of metals and other non-volatile elements required for life's metabolism, verify the existence of organic material, and search for biosignature gases as signs of life. We present an astrobiology-focused mission, science goals, and instruments that can be used on both a large atmospheric probe with a parachute lasting about one hour in the cloud layers (40 to 60 km) or a fixed-altitude balloon operating at about 52 km above the surface. The latter relies on four deployable mini probes to measure habitability conditions in the lower cloud region. The mission doubles as a preparation for sample return by determining whether a subset of cloud particles is non-liquid as well as characterizing the heterogeneity of the cloud particles, thereby informing sample collection and storage methods for a return journey to Earth.

Based on the text of the Venus Life Finder Mission Study report (arXiv:2112.05153). Published in Aerospace as a part of the Special Issue "The Search for Signs of Life on Venus: Science Objectives and Mission Designs" (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/aerospace/special_issues/Search_Life_Venus_Science_Objectives_Mission_Designs). arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:2112.05153

References in corpus (6)

• Production of Ammonia Makes Venusian Clouds Habitable and Explains Observed Cloud-Level Chemical Anomalies
• Rocket Lab Mission to Venus
• Venus Life Finder Missions Motivation and Summary
• Mission Architecture to Characterize Habitability of Venus Cloud Layers via an Aerial Platform
• Deducing the Composition of Venus Cloud Particles with the Autofluorescence Nephelometer (AFN)
• Aerial Platform Design Options for a Life-Finding Mission at Venus

Cited by in corpus (3)

• Venus Life Finder Missions Motivation and Summary
• Astrobiological Potential of Venus Atmosphere Chemical Anomalies and Other Unexplained Cloud Properties
• Direct In-Situ Capture, Separation and Visualization of Biological Particles with Fluid-Screen in the Context of Venus Life Finder Mission Concept Study