after days of negotiations, israeli opposition parties have reached an agreement to form a new government, minutes before a deadline to break the country s political stalemate. if the deal is approved by parliament, it would end the 12 year tenure of benjamin netanyahu, the country s longest serving prime minister. nasa has announced two new missions to venus, aimed at understanding why the planet became an extremely inhospitable place while earth managed to thrive. the missions will examine the planet s atmosphere and geological features and are scheduled to launch at the end of the decade. our correspondent david willis reports. venus is the closest planet to earth, and similar in size, mass, density and composition. in recent years, it s received less attention than mars and other destinations in the solar system, primarily because it s so hot. its dense atmosphere traps heat from the sun, leading to temperatures of more
its dense atmosphere traps heat from the sun, leading to temperatures of more than a70 celsius in places. interest in venus was rekindled after astronomers said they had detected a molecule in the clouds which could be a possible sign of life. nasa is now planning two robotic missions later this decade, one of which will analyse the planet s atmosphere, whilst the other will map its surface. these two sister missions, both aimed to understand how venus became an inferno like world, capable of melting lead at the surface. they will offer the entire science community the chance to investigate a planet we haven t been to in more than 30 years. nasa says the missions will also help to further understanding of why earth is habitable whilst other planets
at the end of the decade. our correspondent david willis reports. venus is the closest planet to earth, and similar in size, mass, density and composition. in recent years, it s received less attention than mars and other destinations in the solar system, primarily because it s so hot. its dense atmosphere traps heat from the sun, leading to temperatures of more than a70 celsius in places. interest in venus was rekindled after astronomers said they had detected a molecule in the clouds which could be a possible sign of life. nasa is now planning two robotic missions later this decade, one of which will analyse the planet s atmosphere, whilst the other will map its surface. these two sister missions, both aimed to understand how venus became an inferno like world, capable of melting lead at the surface.