A DEN FOR VFOX: LESSONS LEARNED AND PREPARATIONS FOR THE DAVINCI STUDENT COLLABORATION EXPERIMENT (Invited Presentation)

Introduction: Knowledge of the atmospheric composition very near the Venus surface is required for assessing the stable mineralogy of the rocks present there. Oxygen fugacity (ƒO₂) of the near-surface atmosphere plays a key role in rock-gas chemical interactions. The DAVINCI mission's primary instruments will measure atmospheric constituents such as CO to high precision down to the lowest scale height of the atmosphere, from which ƒO₂ may be derived, Venus Oxygen Fugacity (VƒOx), will provide a direct measurement of oxygen partial pressure, independently corroborating atmospheric composition and constraining the stability zones of surface mineralogy. VƒOx measurements will be used to directly determine ƒO₂ below the clouds to the planet's surface.

VƒOx: DAVINCI's Student Collaboration Experiment (SCE), is a small single-objective sensor used to measure the partial pressure of molecular oxygen in Venus’ lower atmosphere. Through the mission, VƒOx will be designed, fabricated, tested, operated, and results analyzed by undergraduate and graduate students mentored by the DAVINCI team in partnership with Johns Hopkins University and other programs, with an emphasis on building and encouraging STEM careers for underserved student populations.

The Student Experience: Students will build VfOx, analyze the data it returns, and participate with science activities of the DAVINCI science team. VƒOx poses a single, simple question about Venus’ atmosphere. Getting to the answer requires an understanding of planetary atmosphere dynamics and equilibria and the relationships between a planet’s atmosphere and surface chemistry. This knowledge drives the sensor requirements and engineering, which in turn determines the design and teaching approaches necessary. The development and operation of a working flight sensor will require students to learn the basics of instrument systems, design, and incorporation into a larger flight project through participation in an end-to-end mission experience, regardless of which phase of the mission intersects with their university career. VƒOx flies to Venus as part of DAVINCI in 2029, supported by several college generations of student scientists and engineers. We will present plans for the academic and engineering program, as well as lessons learned from a pilot course in 2017.