VERITAS Mission to Venus Delayed Due to Funding Issues

March 18, 2023

1 min read

The VERITAS mission to study Venus and analyze its volcanic activity was highly anticipated. Some evidence shows that Venus had volcanic activity as recently as the 1990s. However, the VERITAS mission was not funded in NASA’s latest budget request, which has significantly disappointed astronomers.

The decision to delay the VERITAS mission was mostly made months ago and coincided with the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. Many attendees of the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference tweeted their concerns using the hashtag #saveVERITAS.

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NASA and the Italian Space Agency are collaborating on the VERITAS project. VERITAS project team member, Luciano Iess, has expressed concern about the effect of the delay on NASA’s relationship with the Italian Space Agency. NASA’s explanation for the VERITAS delay, citing personnel issues at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, has created a confusing picture for Iess.

Space policy analysts have been using NASA’s budget requests to understand the agency’s priorities. The Planetary Society published a reaction to the VERITAS delay and expressed disappointment and concern. The Venus mission, DAVINCI+, is still in the budget with a launch schedule of “no later” than 2030. While the delay of VERITAS is disappointing to astronomers, there are still many possibilities of it being funded in the future.

Rahul Somvanshi

Rahul, possessing a profound background in the creative industry, illuminates the unspoken, often confronting revelations and unpleasant subjects, navigating their complexities with a discerning eye. He perpetually questions, explores, and unveils the multifaceted impacts of change and transformation in our global landscape. As an experienced filmmaker and writer, he intricately delves into the realms of sustainability, design, flora and fauna, health, science and technology, mobility, and space, ceaselessly investigating the practical applications and transformative potentials of burgeoning developments.