Venus orbital imaging radar (VOIR) mission: A further step in the exploration of Venus

Abstract

The next exciting step in the exploration of Venus is the VOIR mission presently under study by industry and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. A single spacecraft would be launched in December 1984, aboard the Space Shuttle using a twin stage IUS. It would arrive in May 1985 and attain a near polar, low circular orbit. A spectrum of scientific investigations are planned throughout the orbital mission ending in November 1985. The spacecraft would obtain near-global Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery and make other measurements to investigate the surface and interior properties of the planet to further our understanding of its structure, composition, degree of differentiation and dynamical state; to determine the nature of the processes which have shaped its surface; to develop an understanding of its geological evolution; and to expand our current knowledge of the Venusian atmosphere. A mission scenario and possible science data return is presented which meet the objectives for this mission. Several technical issues are also addressed with respect to implementing this mission. These issues are associated with the requirements for a nadir pointing spacecraft in a low, circular near-polar orbit about Venus. This mission also requires highly accurate control of the SAR and communications antennae to support respectively, the imagery data acquisition and the return of this data at megabit per second rates to Earth.