ESA to develop independent radar for Venus mission after NASA withdrawal

The European Space Agency (ESA) is moving to develop its own radar system for the EnVision mission to Venus following NASA's decision to withdraw its planned VenSAR radar contribution. The withdrawal is attributed to United States scientific budget cuts and shifting priorities within the NASA administration.

Originally, the mission was designed as a collaborative effort where NASA would provide the synthetic aperture radar to map the Venusian surface at high resolutions, while ESA would include American researchers in the scientific team. To mitigate risks to the mission timeline, ESA has begun work on a European alternative, referred to as EuroSAR, involving industrial teams in Italy and Great Britain.

While the EnVision mission aims to study the planet's geology, atmosphere, and interior to understand its evolution, the loss of NASA support may impact the technical specifics of the mission. The launch is currently targeted for 2031 or 2032.