The Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gases, Chemistry, and Imaging (DAVINCI) mission described herein has been selected for flight to Venus as part of the NASA Discovery Program. DAVINCI ...will be the first mission to Venus to incorporate science driven flybys and an instrumented descent sphere into a unified architecture. The anticipated scientific outcome will be a new understanding of the atmosphere, surface, and evolutionary path of Venus as a possibly once-habitable planet and analog to hot terrestrial exoplanets. The primary mission design for DAVINCI as selected features a preferred launch in summer/fall 2029, two flybys in 2030, and descent sphere atmospheric entry by the end of 2031. The in situ atmospheric descent phase subsequently delivers definitive chemical and isotopic composition of the Venus atmosphere during an atmospheric transect above Alpha Regio. These in situ investigations of the atmosphere and near infrared descent imaging of the surface will complement remote flyby observations of the dynamic atmosphere, cloud deck, and surface near infrared emissivity. The overall mission yield will be at least 60 Gbits (compressed) new data about the atmosphere and near surface, as well as the first unique characterization of the deep atmosphere environment and chemistry, including trace gases, key stable isotopes, oxygen fugacity, constraints on local rock compositions, and topography of a tessera.
The objectives of 7-SEASBASELInE (Seven SouthEast Asian Studies Biomass-burning Aerosols and Stratocumulus Environment: Lifecycles and Interactions Experiment) campaigns in spring 2013-2015 were to ...synergize measurements from uniquely distributed ground-based networks (e.g., AERONET (AErosol RObotic NETwork)), MPLNET ( NASA Micro-Pulse Lidar Network)) and sophisticated platforms (e.g.,SMARTLabs (Surface-based Mobile Atmospheric Research and Testbed Laboratories), regional contributing instruments), along with satellite observations retrievals and regional atmospheric transport chemical models to establish a critically needed database, and to advance our understanding of biomass-burning aerosols and trace gases in Southeast Asia (SEA). We present a satellite-surface perspective of 7-SEASBASELInE and highlight scientific findings concerning: (1) regional meteorology of moisture fields conducive to the production and maintenance of low-level stratiform clouds over land; (2) atmospheric composition in a biomass-burning environment, particularly tracers-markers to serve as important indicators for assessing the state and evolution of atmospheric constituents; (3) applications of remote sensing to air quality and impact on radiative energetics, examining the effect of diurnal variability of boundary-layer height on aerosol loading; (4) aerosol hygroscopicity and ground-based cloud radar measurements in aerosol-cloud processes by advanced cloud ensemble models; and (5) implications of air quality, in terms of toxicity of nanoparticles and trace gases, to human health. This volume is the third 7-SEAS special issue (after Atmospheric Research, vol. 122, 2013; and Atmospheric Environment, vol. 78, 2013) and includes 27 papers published, with emphasis on air quality and aerosol-cloud effects on the environment. BASELInE observations of stratiform clouds over SEA are unique, such clouds are embedded in a heavy aerosol-laden environment and feature characteristically greater stability over land than over ocean, with minimal radar surface clutter at a high vertical spatial resolution. To facilitate an improved understanding of regional aerosol-cloud effects, we envision that future BASELInE-like measurement modeling needs fall into two categories: (1) efficient yet critical in-situ profiling of the boundary layer for validating remote-sensing retrievals and for initializing regional transport chemical and cloud ensemble models; and (2) fully utilizing the high observing frequencies of geostationary satellites for resolving the diurnal cycle of the boundary layerheight as it affects the loading of biomass-burning aerosols, air quality and radiative energetics.
In this paper, we present recent field studies conducted by NASA's SMART-COMMIT (and ACHIEVE, to be operated in 2013) mobile laboratories, jointly with distributed ground-based networks (e.g., ...AERONET, http://aeronet.gsfc.nasa.gov/ and MPLNET, http://mplnet.gsfc.nasa.gov/) and other contributing instruments over northern Southeast Asia. These three mobile laboratories, collectively called SMARTLabs (cf. http://smartlabs.gsfc.nasa.gov/, Surface-based Mobile Atmospheric Research &Testbed Laboratories) comprise a suite of surface remote sensing and in-situ instruments that are pivotal in providing high spectral and temporal measurements, complementing the collocated spatial observations from various Earth Observing System (EOS) satellites. A satellite-surface perspective and scientific findings, drawn from the BASE-ASIA (2006) field deployment as well as a series of ongoing 7-SEAS (2010–13) field activities over northern Southeast Asia are summarized, concerning (i) regional properties of aerosols from satellite and in-situ measurements, (ii) cloud properties from remote sensing and surface observations, (iii) vertical distribution of aerosols and clouds, and (iv) regional aerosol radiative effects and impact assessment. The aerosol burden over Southeast Asia in boreal spring, attributed to biomass burning, exhibits highly consistent spatial and temporal distribution patterns, with major variability arising from changes in the magnitude of the aerosol loading mediated by processes ranging from large-scale climate factors to diurnal meteorological events. Downwind from the source regions, the tightly coupled-aerosol–cloud system provides a unique, natural laboratory for further exploring the micro- and macro-scale relationships of the complex interactions. The climatic significance is presented through large-scale anti-correlations between aerosol and precipitation anomalies, showing spatial and seasonal variability, but their precise cause-and-effect relationships remain an open-ended question. To facilitate an improved understanding of the regional aerosol radiative effects, which continue to be one of the largest uncertainties in climate forcing, a joint international effort is required and anticipated to commence in springtime 2013 in northern Southeast Asia.
► Multi-year, international efforts for studying aerosol and climate impacts across Southeast Asia. ► Aerosol and cloud properties measured from both ground- and satellite-based platforms. ► Investigation of aerosol–cloud interactions and planning for future experiments.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
The Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gases, Chemistry, and Imaging (DAVINCI) mission described herein has been selected for flight to Venus as part of the NASA Discovery Program. DAVINCI ...will be the first mission to Venus to incorporate science-driven flybys and an instrumented descent sphere into a unified architecture. The anticipated scientific outcome will be a new understanding of the atmosphere, surface, and evolutionary path of Venus as a possibly once-habitable planet and analog to hot terrestrial exoplanets. The primary mission design for DAVINCI as selected features a preferred launch in summer/fall 2029, two flybys in 2030, and descent sphere atmospheric entry by the end of 2031. The in situ atmospheric descent phase subsequently delivers definitive chemical and isotopic composition of the Venus atmosphere during a cloud-top to surface transect above Alpha Regio. These in situ investigations of the atmosphere and near infrared descent imaging of the surface will complement remote flyby observations of the dynamic atmosphere, cloud deck, and surface near infrared emissivity. The overall mission yield will be at least 60 Gbits (compressed) new data about the atmosphere and near surface, as well as first unique characterization of the deep atmosphere environment and chemistry, including trace gases, key stable isotopes, oxygen fugacity, constraints on local rock compositions, and topography of a tessera.
In this paper, we present recent field studies conducted by NASA's SMART-COMMIT (and ACHIEVE, to be operated in 2013) mobile laboratories, jointly with distributed ground-based networks (e.g., ...AERONET, http://aeronet.gsfc.nasa.gov/ and MPLNET, http://mplnet.gsfc.nasa.gov/) and other contributing instruments over northern Southeast Asia. These three mobile laboratories, collectively called SMARTLabs (cf. http://smartlabs.gsfc.nasa.gov/, Surface-based Mobile Atmospheric Research & Testbed Laboratories) comprise a suite of surface remote sensing and in-situ instruments that are pivotal in providing high spectral and temporal measurements, complementing the collocated spatial observations from various Earth Observing System (EOS) satellites. A satellite-surface perspective and scientific findings, drawn from the BASE-ASIA (2006) field deployment as well as a series of ongoing 7-SEAS (2010-13) field activities over northern Southeast Asia are summarized, concerning (i) regional properties of aerosols from satellite and in situ measurements, (ii) cloud properties from remote sensing and surface observations, (iii) vertical distribution of aerosols and clouds, and (iv) regional aerosol radiative effects and impact assessment. The aerosol burden over Southeast Asia in boreal spring, attributed to biomass burning, exhibits highly consistent spatial and temporal distribution patterns, with major variability arising from changes in the magnitude of the aerosol loading mediated by processes ranging from large-scale climate factors to diurnal meteorological events. Downwind from the source regions, the tightly coupled-aerosolecloud system provides a unique, natural laboratory for further exploring the micro- and macro-scale relationships of the complex interactions. The climatic significance is presented through large-scale anti-correlations between aerosol and precipitation anomalies, showing spatial and seasonal variability, but their precise cause-and-effect relationships remain an open-ended question. To facilitate an improved understanding of the regional aerosol radiative effects, which continue to be one of the largest uncertainties in climate forcing, a joint international effort is required and anticipated to commence in springtime 2013 in northern Southeast Asia.
DAVINCI (Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gases, Chemistry, and Imaging) was selected as one of two new Discovery missions in summer of 2021 with the primary goals to study how the Venus ...atmosphere formed and changed over time. DAVINCI does this by making in situ measurements of the atmosphere, taking images below the cloud layer during the descent phase, and imaging the surface and clouds during two flyby science opportunities. The Descent Sphere is neither designed nor required to land on the surface so all critical science data must be taken and transmitted to a relay spacecraft prior to impact. This architecture drives the mission to a carefully-crafted concept of operations; deployments, instrument operations, and communications are choreographed to ensure the right data is gathered at the right altitude given the uncertainties in the trajectory and timeline. A complex flow of analyses and tests throughout development will validate the system's ability to execute the mission goals. In the end DAVINCI will be ready for its one hour of descent time to meet its driving science goals.
Requirements verification of a large flight system is a challenge. This paper describes the approach to verification of the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, ...Security-Regolith Explorer (OSlRlS-REx) system requirements. It also captures lessons learned along the way from the systems engineers embroiled in this process. This paper begins with an overview of the mission and science objectives as well as the project requirements verification program strategy. A description of the requirements flow down is presented including an implementation for managing the thousands of program and element level requirements and associated verification data. This paper discusses both successes and methods to improve the managing of these data across multiple organizational interfaces. The team's risk-based approach to verifying system requirements at multiple levels of assembly is presented using examples from work at instrument, spacecraft, and ground segment levels. A discussion of system end-to-end testing limitations and their impacts to the verification program is included. Finally, this paper describes lessons learned during the execution of the verification program across multiple government and commercial organizations. These lessons and perspectives can be valuable to all space systems engineers developing a large NASA space mission.
The Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gases, Chemistry, and Imaging (DAVINCI) mission was selected in June 2021 as part of the NASA Discovery Program to explore Venus through remote ...sensing, in-situ chemistry measurements, and near-surface imaging. This mission will investigate the evolution of Venus' atmosphere using an architecture designed to optimize science-relevant measurements within the atmosphere and on targeted flybys. Currently slated to launch in June 2029, DAVINCI's Carrier-Relay-Imaging Spacecraft (CRIS) will conduct Flybys of Venus in January and November of 2030 where it will acquire remote sensing of the upper Venus atmosphere and surface. In June 2031 during a third Flyby, the Descent Sphere (DS) containing a suite of instruments will transect the atmosphere while acquiring chemistry and environmental measurements, as well as descent imaging of a highland region. The focus of this paper is the technical mission design, concept of operations and flight system design including the DS and CRIS, with mission overview and science summarized in Garvin and others (2020, 2021). The DAVINCI concept has been in development at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) since 2011 with substantial hardware fabrication and test. The project is managed by NASA GSFC, which provides the DS and two key instruments, and Lockheed Martin will provide CRIS and flight operations. Other instruments and major components are provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Malin Space Science Systems, KinetX, and other partners. Together with other planned Venus missions, DAVINCI will usher in a new phase of Venus scientific understanding via the first in situ measurements since 1985.
DAVINCI is one of five Discovery-class missions selected by NASA in October 2015 for Phase A studies. Launching in November 2021 and arriving at Venus in June of 2023, DAVINCI would be the first U.S. ...entry probe to target Venus' atmosphere in 45 years. DAVINCI is designed to study the chemical and isotopic composition of a complete cross-section of Venus' atmosphere at a level of detail that has not been possible on earlier missions and to image the surface at optical wavelengths and process-relevant scales.
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