Investigating the Origin and Evolution of Venus with Descent Probe Mass Spectrometry

Future missions to Venus will require a focused investigation of the atmospheric composition, to complete the story of its formation and evolution drafted by the probes of the 1970s and 1980s and developed further by recent missions such as Venus Express. Priority measurements include the mixing ratios and isotope ratios of all noble gases, detection of trace species in the lower atmosphere including sulfur compounds, and light element isotope systematics. We present a concept for a highly sensitive neutral mass spectrometer (NMS) investigation that can make these measurements on a descent probe or other in situ atmospheric mission. The NMS investigation is a key element of the Surface and Atmosphere Geochemical Explorer (SAGE) mission under study within the NASA New Frontiers program.