A NASA mission to Venus, the VERITAS mission, already delayed by three years due to internal issues, now faces the possibility of another significant delay. Initially postponed to no earlier than 2031 to address workforce challenges at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the mission's principal investigator, Sue Smrekar, recently expressed concerns about a further delay to November 2032.

Smrekar, speaking at the Venus Exploration Analysis Group (VEXAG) meeting, stated that the mission, after a pause in 2024, is "standing up" and working towards a June 2031 launch. However, she highlighted the risk of a delay to 2032. "There’s a real possibility of a further delay to ‘32,” she said, emphasizing the complications this would bring.

A 2032 launch would create several problems. VERITAS includes instruments from European partners, whose development continued despite the mission pause. A delay could mean these contributions arrive before the spacecraft’s preliminary design phase, potentially causing inconsistencies. Personnel involved in instrument development might also be unavailable for integration years later. This issue is further complicated by the European Space Agency's EnVision mission, also heading to Venus around the same time.

Operational conflicts arise depending on the launch date. A 2031 launch for VERITAS allows for completion of its aerobraking phase before EnVision's arrival, minimizing conflict. A 2032 launch, however, would bring both spacecraft to Venus within weeks of each other in 2033, straining the aerobraking team, according to Smrekar. Scientific implications include missing observation windows for other missions like NASA's DAVINCI, impacting data calibration.

Personnel loss is also a major concern. Smrekar mentioned the loss of key science team members during the mission pause, adding that further delays increase the risk of losing more personnel, including a recent layoff at JPL. Despite these challenges, both DAVINCI and EnVision are proceeding with their plans.

Thomas Widemann of the Paris Observatory confirmed EnVision's planned December 2031 launch, while Stephanie Getty, deputy principal investigator for DAVINCI, indicated potential launch opportunities in fiscal years 2031 and 2032, with a preferred date of December 2030.