Scientists will get a closer look at Venus, searching for signs of life, as a probe is set to slingshot around the planet on its way to Mercury Wednesday night.
The fly-by is expected to occur about midnight eastern time. While it will only get within 6,700 miles of the planet’s surface, it will be a dress rehearsal of sorts for a second, within 400 miles, fly-by in August.
Researchers in Germany are hoping to sample atmospheric gases – looking for traces of phosphine – that could signal microbial life.
The probe, dubbed ‘BepiColombo,’ after Italian Giuseppe “Bepi” Colombo, who devised the slingshot tactic which has now become common place, will eventually deploy two European and Japanese orbiters to observe Mercury.
Are we on the cusp of discovering life on other planets? What will that life look like? Do you think there’s intelligent life somewhere closer than we realize?
