VESAT: The Venus Environmental Satellite Discovery mission

  • K. H. Baines
  • , R. W. Carlson
  • , D. Crisp
  • , J. T. Schofield
  • , B. Bézard
  • , C. de Bergh
  • , P. Drossart
  • , W. A. Delamere
  • , B. Fegley
  • , W. H. Smith
  • , S. J. Limaye
  • , C. T. Russell
  • , G. Schubert
  • , S. Calcutt
  • , F. W. Taylor

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Venus Environmental Satellite (VESAT) is being developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Ball Aerospace, the University of Wisconsin, and Oxford University as an inexpensive but effective means of assessing numerous and interrelated dynamical and chemical processes within the deep atmosphere of Venus. Utilizing a small array of remote-sensing instruments designed to take advantage of several unique characteristics of this alien environment, VESAT daily acquires quantitative three-dimensional global maps of Venus in key environmental field parameters such as windfields, atmosphere/ surface temperature fields, and trace gas abundances. VESAT utilizes a 45°-inclined, 30,000-km altitude circular orbit to achieve consistent, regular coverage of the entire globe with minimal day-to-day variations in spacecraft operations, allowing uplink/downlink operations to be conducted effectively and inexpensively in a university setting. An integrated hardware procurement approach, wherein a single contractor is responsible for the design, manufacture, and integration of the entire spacecraft, including the instrument payload, enables significant savings in spacecraft/payload cost and schedule.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)417-426
Number of pages10
JournalActa Astronautica
Volume35
DOIs
StatePublished - 1995

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