The project to observe Venus using miniature satellites in low Earth orbit will begin in earnest.
The Institute for Basic Science (IBS) announced on the 2nd that it has selected NanoAvionics as the manufacturer of the first miniature satellite for the long-term observation project of Venus (CLOVE). NanoAvionics will design and manufacture the miniature satellite platform and will be responsible for integrating the scientific payloads created by IBS and domestic collaborators, as well as conducting environmental tests, coordinating launch services, and managing launch and initial orbital operations.
The IBS Climate and Earth Science Institute's planetary atmosphere group (Lee Yeon-joo, CI) plans to launch the first satellite, CLOVESat-1, in 2026. The CLOVE project aims to send miniature satellites into low Earth orbit every three years to secure long-term data covering the solar activity cycle (approximately 11 years) and to observe Venus as a whole over 15 years.
CLOVESat-1 will utilize four wavelength bands ranging from ultraviolet to near-infrared and will be equipped with a total of eight observational instruments, including a polarizing filter. This will be the first scientific payload dedicated to observing Venus in Korea. It aims to investigate the variability of cloud top altitudes, the vertical structure of clouds, the distribution of sulfur dioxide gas, and unidentified absorbers. It is expected to help clarify why Venus, which once had an environment similar to Earth, has become inhospitable to life, focusing on volcanic activity, solar-atmosphere interactions, and planetary climate change.
Lee Yeon-joo, CI, noted, "The CLOVESat series will enable continuous space-based data collection that was not possible before, serving as crucial foundational data for future studies on changes in Venus's atmosphere, climate, and comparisons with Earth."