Venus

India’s Shukrayaan orbiter to study Venus for over four years, launches in 2024
India’s space agency aims to launch its Venus orbiter Shukrayaan in late 2024, more than a year later than previously planned, an ISRO research scientist told a NASA-chartered planetary science planning committee Nov. 10.

Is Venus a living hell? Conversation with astrobiologist David Grinspoon
The detection of phosphene gas in the clouds of Venus has given rise to the thought of extraterrestrial “aerial” life on hostile Venus. This promising find begs the question: Now what? SpaceNews contributor Leonard David discussed this issue with astrobiologist David Grinspoon, a senior scientist at the Planetary Science Institute and an expert on surface-atmospheric interactions on terrestrial planets, such as Venus.

Potential biosignature discovery could boost prospects of Venus missions
The discovery of a molecule in the atmosphere of Venus associated with life could boost the prospects for both government and private missions to the planet.

Virgin Orbit to add extra rocket stage to LauncherOne for interplanetary missions
Virgin Orbit, while preparing for the first flight of its LauncherOne smallsat rocket, is in the process of choosing an engine for a three-stage variant that would be capable of sending payloads to other planets.