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Other Sensors

Descent Only

The probe will be fitted with two radar altimeters to measure altitude above Venus. These will not be Venus hardened, only standard space hardened devices. Once the heat shield and descent parachute separate, these sensors will be discarded and the data saved for later transmissions.

Wind, Temperature, and Pressure

The secondary science goal of the mission is to gather atmospheric data about Venus. We have chosen sensors modeled after those proposed for the Mars Geophysical Network. The technology is mature and space hardened. There will be a moderate investment to convert the sensors over to Silicon Carbide to allow for operation at Venus surface temperatures.

Atmospheric Sensor Specifications [1]

[1] Jet Propulsion Laboratory, "Mission Concept Study: Planetary Science Decadal Survey: Mars Geophysical Network," California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 2010, p. 56.