VenSpec Suite

The VenSpec Suite consists of three imaging spectrometer heads, the VenSpec-M, VenSpec-H, and VenSpec-U, as well as a central control unit (CCU) consisting of the data processing unit (DHU) and a power supply unit (PSU). The VenSpec Suite will provide new insights into the geology, mineralogy, and meteorology of Venus and allow conclusions about past planetary evolution. The suite will conduct a comprehensive search for volcanic activity by detecting atmospheric, thermal, and mineralogical signatures in ultraviolet and near-infrared light. For the first time, a global map of Venus’ surface composition will be created.

VenSpec-M is a multispectral imaging system developed by DLR Berlin in Adlershof, which will provide near-global composition data on rock types, weathering, and crustal evolution by mapping the nightside emission of Venus's surface and lower atmosphere in 14 spectral transparency windows between 0.86 and 1.18 µm wavelength. VenSpec-H (BIRA, Belgian contribution) will measure the composition of the lower atmosphere on the night side and the upper atmosphere on the day side, enabling the characterization of volcanic outgassing. VenSpec-H will focus on detecting volcanic and cloud-forming gases and searching for composition anomalies, while VenSpec-M will analyze the surface geology. The third spectrometer, VenSpec-U (LATMOS, French contribution), will mainly be used to detect sulfur compounds (SO and SO2) in the atmosphere and to search for a still unknown UV absorber in the upper atmosphere. VenSpec-U will therefore complement the other two spectrometers by investigating how the upper atmosphere interacts with the lower atmosphere and, in particular, characterizing the extent to which outgassing processes near the surface influence the upper atmosphere.

The MPS will develop and build the central processing unit (DHU) of the VenSpec Suite in collaboration with the IDK (Institute of Computer and Network Engineering, TU Braunschweig). The DHU is a main component of the central control unit (CCU), which will function as the supervisory and distribution unit of the VenSpec Suite and consists of the DHU and the PSU (power converter). The PSU is being developed and built by the IAA (Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía) in Spain. The DHU will centralize, buffer, and, to a large extent, compress the data generated by the three spectrometers before sending it to the spacecraft's central computer. Telecommands and other telemetry data from the sensor heads will also be routed via the DHU.