Workshop Themes

This workshop is organized into two inter-connected themes:

Theme I:  Potential Landing Site

We are seeking community input on the criteria for scientifically desirable landing sites for the Venera-D lander which could be accessible from the approach trajectory, given the known engineering constraints; and the criteria for synergies between the lander and other potential landing elements, such as multiple small stations for weather, surface boundary chemistry and dynamics, and/or seismic studies. The primary sessions exploring these topics will be held October 2–3 (additional splinters may occur a day later).

Science priorities for the landed elements of the Venera-D mission are:  surface morphology, mineralogy, aeolian processes, surface-atmosphere chemical and dynamical interactions, elemental abundances of rocks, seismology, and electrostatic charging processes.

A summary of the community-defined Venera-D landing site priorities will be archived and made available on the VEXAG website. We are seeking volunteer workshop scribes to facilitate this effort

Theme II:  Cloud Layer Habitability

For this theme, we are seeking community input on the key altitudes, latitudes, methods, and suitable platform options for completing habitability studies, such as aerial platforms. We are also interested in input regarding measurements that may be made from the Venera-D baseline elements that can answer key or ancillary questions in support of the study of Venus’ habitability present and past. The habitability sessions will be held October 4–5 (preliminary splinters may occur a day earlier).

The driving science questions for these discussions are:
How has habitability at Venus evolved over time?

• What are the tracers of past or current habitability?
• How has the evolution of climate impacted Venus’ habitability?

What microbial species can survive/thrive in the Venus’ clouds today?

• How do we know, what should we look for, what are the best methods for detecting any extant microbial life?

Where may life at Venus have come from?

• If it migrated from the surface to cloud, what are the tracers, what should we look for, and where should we look for it?
• If it was delivered to Venus, what are the tracers and what should we look for?

A summary of the community-defined Venus observation, theory, and lab study priorities related to cloud layer habitability will be archived and made available on the VEXAG website. We are seeking volunteer workshop scribes to facilitate this effort. Additionally, a special Astrobiology issue incorporating the community input on these topics may be produced (see details on the Astrobiology Special Issue Opportunity tab).