Thermal testing of the prototype
NASA first published a detailed report of this test on September 24, 2026; its October 2 image article recaps the result. The DAVINCI engineering model underwent the campaign from August 28 to September 10, with the chamber reaching 465 °C over roughly an hour to reproduce the heating pace of a Venus descent.
The risks addressed by the test rig
The ground test rig reproduces thermal loads to check the behaviour of the structure and equipment. Engineers use the prototype to compare calculations with measurements and prepare the probe’s next development stages.
Sources
- NASA — DAVINCI thermal test report · 2 October 2026
- NASA Science — DAVINCI thermal-test report · 24 September 2026