Scheduled for launch in 2031, the European Space Agency’s (ESA) EnVision mission will study Venus to understand its geological and climatic evolution. France is contributing to several of the mission’s instruments, including VenSpec-U (VeSUV), an ultraviolet spectrometer developed by a consortium comprising LATMOS, IRAP and LIRA.
At LIRA, the GEFL, ELVET and MESPAL departments are involved in the instrument’s development, working respectively on its thermal architecture, test software and instrument database, as well as its environmental testing.
The image shows the assembly of the VeSUV detector mounted on the temperature-controlled bracket of the OBAMA vacuum chamber, where the environmental tests are carried out. These tests validate the thermal control system under conditions similar to those encountered in flight, an essential step prior to its integration into the EnVision mission.
