Rocket Lab Plans to launch Venus life detector in 2024-2025

According to SpaceNews, Rocket Lab’s interstellar mission chief system engineer Christophe Mandy said at the NASA Venus Exploration Analysis Group meeting on October 30 that the company plans to launch the spacecraft in December 2024. On January 30, it will carry out a private Venus exploration mission.

The company added that the launch of the mission will be extended to 2025, but a final launch date has not yet been determined.

According to reports, the spacecraft called “Venus Life Detector” weighs 315 kilograms and will be launched on an Electron rocket. It will first enter low Earth orbit, then conduct a series of ignition operations, and then reach Venus in about a year and a half.

Once it reaches Venus, the spacecraft will release a small probe. The probe will slowly descend into Venus’ atmosphere, where it will search for conditions that could support life.

Rocket Lab originally announced the mission in 2020, with a planned launch as early as 2023, but it has been delayed. Our inquiries found that the mission was developed in partnership with MIT and received financial support from undisclosed philanthropists.