Neutron | NZSA Venus Mission

Planetary Science

Time to liftoff

Targeting 2027

Target Window

2027

Exact time to be confirmed

Net Precision

Year

— Mission

NZSA Venus Mission

Heliocentric N/A· Helio-N/A

NZSA Venus Mission is a small direct Venus entry probe with a single 1 kg low-mass, low-cost autofluorescing nephelometer riding on a satellite bus based on the Photon Upper stage of the Electron rocket. The probe mission will spend approximately 5 minutes in the Venus cloud layers, 48-60 km above the surface, collecting in situ measurements to search for organic molecules in cloud particles and constrain particle composition.

— Rocket

Vehicle

Neutron

Neutron is an upcoming medium-lift two-stage launch vehicle under development by Rocket Lab. Neutron features a reusable first stage fueled by LOX and Methane.

Length: 40 m
Diameter: 7 m
Launch Mass: 480 t
LEO Capacity: 15,000 kg

Launches

Success

Failures

— Launch Provider

Commercial

Rocket Lab

Est. 2006 · CEO: Peter Beck

Rocket Lab is an American aerospace manufacturer with a wholly owned New Zealand subsidiary. The company develops lightweight, cost-effective commercial rocket launch services. The Electron Program was founded on the premise that small payloads such as CubeSats require dedicated small launch vehicles and flexibility not currently offered by traditional rocket systems. Its rocket, the Electron, is a light-weight rocket and is now operating commercially. The company is also producing a variety of spacecrafts and spacecrafts components.

Total

Success

Pending

Neutron | NZSA Venus Mission

NZSA Venus Mission

Neutron

Rocket Lab Launch Complex 3 (Launch Area 0 D)

Rocket Lab