NASA Mulls Possible Mission to Venus After Recent Discovery of Possible Life
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NASA mulls possible mission to Venus after recent discovery of possible life:
NASA is considering approving by next April up to two planetary science missions from four proposals under review, including one to Venus that scientists involved in the project said could help determine whether or not that planet harbors life.
An international research team on Monday described evidence of potential microbes residing in the harshly acidic Venusian clouds: traces of phosphine, a gas that on Earth is produced by bacteria inhabiting oxygen-free environments. It provided strong potential evidence of life beyond Earth.
The U.S. space agency in February shortlisted four proposed missions that are now being reviewed by a NASA panel, two of which would involve robotic probes to Venus. One of those, called DAVINCI+, would send a probe into the Venusian atmosphere.
[...] The search for life elsewhere in the solar system has until now not focused on Venus. In fact, NASA in July launched a next-generation rover to look for traces of potential past life on Mars.
Previously:
Life on Venus? Unexplained Discovery in the Clouds Has Scientists Buzzing
Venus May Have Dozens of Active Volcanoes
NASA Thinks It's Time to Return to Neptune with its Trident Mission
NASA Wants to Send a Probe to Venus That Can Last 60 Days
New Theory Proposes Large Ocean Killed Venus
NASA Concept for a Crewed Airship Mission in Venus's Upper Atmosphere
The Case for Microbial Life in the Atmosphere of Venus
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