Thread by @ThePlanetaryGuy

And the shortlist for #AmericasNextDiscoveryMission has been announced!

@NASA has picked four missions for detailed, 9-month studies under the Discovery-class cost cap; one or two mission finalists will be actually selected for flight around the end of the year.

Read on!

(1/n)

The first is DAVINCI+ (Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gases, Chemistry, and Imaging Plus), which is a mission to take detailed chemical measurements as it plunges through the Venus atmosphere!

(2/n)

Next is Io Volcano Observer (IVO), which will visit (as the name suggests) #Io, the super-volcanically active moon of #Jupiter!

(3/n)

And then there's one of the most ambitious missions yet proposed to Discovery, Trident—a mission concept to fly by #Triton, the huge and weirdo moon of #Neptune! (This mission is being led by @Louise_Prockter of @LPItoday, yay Louise!)

(4/n)

Last but definitely not least: VERITAS (Venus Emissivity, Radio Science, InSAR, Topography, and Spectroscopy)! This mission would take new, high-resolution radar and IR measurements of the Venus surface, and is being led by @NASAJPL's @SueSmrekar!

(5/n)

Each of these missions would return amazing, transformative science, and I really hope two are picked. Honestly, I wish we could pick all four—but how cool is it that there are *so many* worth exploration targets out there?!

(6/n)

You can read more about each of these short-listed mission concepts here. I don't envy @Dr_ThomasZ and other folks' job at @NASA HQ in picking the finalists, but I can't wait to see what missions we'll fly next to learn more about our Solar System!

(7/7)

nasa.gov/press-release/…