China Unveils Venus Atmosphere Sample Mission As Part Of Long Term Space Science Roadmap

China has unveiled an ambitious long-term roadmap to guide its space science programs through 2050, with a headline-grabbing plan to collect a sample of the Venusian atmosphere by 2035.

The National Space Science Medium- and Long-Term Development Plan (2024–2050) was announced during a joint press conference by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the China National Space Administration (CNSA), and the China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO).

“China’s space science research is still in its infancy, with a relatively small number of space science satellites. Some gaps need to be filled to become a space powerhouse,” - Ding Chibiao, CAS Vice President. China’s space ambitions aim not only to close these gaps but to achieve global leadership in space exploration and scientific research.

The roadmap outlines clear goals for space science development, including implementing national space science missions, strengthening basic research, building a high-level talent pool for space science, and making breakthrough achievements that will place China at the forefront of global space research.

Three-Phase Approach

The development plan will unfold in three stages, broken down into five major scientific themes and 17 priority areas of focus. The scientific themes include exploring the extreme universe, the nature of matter, habitable planets, the Sun, and expanding space exploration.

Phase 1: Now to 2027

The first phase, stretching to 2027, includes a range of already known and scheduled missions. These include China’s first crewed lunar landing by 2030, continued operations of the Tiangong space station—which will host a Hubble-class space telescope—and a series of key scientific projects.

Among the larger initiatives is a space gravitational wave detection pathfinder and a solar polar orbiter. A range of smaller missions could also be launched, focusing on dark matter particle detection, solar observation from the Sun-Earth Lagrange point L5, and exoplanet research.

In this phase, five significant missions are understood to be under development:

• Discovering Sky at the Longest Wavelength (DSL): To detect signals from the cosmic dark ages.

• Enhanced X-ray Timing and Polarimetry (eXTP): To study extreme celestial objects like black holes.

• Solar Polar Orbiter (SPO): To explore the Sun’s polar regions.

• Taiji-2: A mission to detect gravitational waves.

• Earth 2.0: To conduct long-term surveys for Earth-like habitable exoplanets.

Phase 2: 2028–2035

The second phase aims for significant advancements in space missions, including high-profile projects like the Tianwen-4 mission to Jupiter, exploration of the solar system’s boundaries, and the construction of the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS).

The most anticipated mission in this phase is a bold Venus atmospheric sample return mission, which aims to collect samples from Venus’ atmosphere and return them to Earth for analysis.

While the detailed mission proposal has not yet been released, a potential mission architecture could involve a spacecraft descending into the Venusian atmosphere, inflating a balloon to capture and study atmospheric samples, and then using a Venus ascent vehicle to deliver the samples to a waiting orbiter for return to Earth. Such a mission would likely have a strong focus on astrobiology and the search for signs of life, particularly in light of recent studies that have suggested the presence of potential biomarker gases like phosphine in Venus' atmosphere.

Additionally, asteroid exploration and the detection of moons around exoplanets are possible mission candidates in this phase.

Phase 3: 2036–2050

The final phase of China’s space science roadmap (2036–2050) aims for global leadership in space science. This period will focus on launching 5–6 large-scale missions while continuing to pursue numerous smaller projects. The plan highlights a vision for groundbreaking discoveries and innovations that could shape humanity’s understanding of the universe.

Venus Atmospheric Sample Return: A Key Mission

China’s plan to bring a sample of Venus' atmosphere back to Earth represents a leap in ambition.

The Venus Orbiter for Climatology and Environment (VOICE), which had previously been under consideration, has been superseded by this more ambitious mission in the second phase of the roadmap. This shift indicates China’s growing interest in planetary science and astrobiology.

Though the details of the Venus atmospheric sample return mission remain scarce, it is expected to rely on advanced technology for atmospheric entry, sampling, and ascent. The mission will likely be informed by recent discoveries and research into Venus' atmosphere, which is thought to hold clues about the planet’s habitability and potential signs of life.

International Collaboration

As China’s space program expands, it will remain open to international collaboration.

“We will further promote various forms of international cooperation and exchanges in space science, so that the achievements of space science and technology can better and benefit humankind,” - Wang Chi, Director of the National Space Science Center (NSSC) under CAS.

China is also planning a Mars sample return mission in 2028, with the goal of being the first nation to deliver samples from Mars to Earth by 2031. Like the Venus atmosphere sample return, this mission will likely prioritize astrobiology, focusing on the potential for life on other planets.

A Vision for the Future

China’s long-term space science roadmap signals its determination to play a leading role in space exploration and scientific discovery.

With missions targeting everything from the mysteries of dark matter to the search for life on other planets, China is positioning itself to make significant contributions to humanity's understanding of the cosmos over the next three decades.