Joe Turner, a pilot with Timberland Helicopters, looks out the window of their helicopter while performing test flights with NASA's DAVINCI VADIX prototype tethered to the helicopter. VADIX is a prototype of a camera system which will one day fly on NASA's DAVINCI mission to Venus. NASA/Mike Guinto

Timberland Helicopter flying the DAVINCI VADIX payload lifts off from Crater Island, Utah, June 23, 2026. NASA/Mike Guinto

Mike Vitulio, a NASA mechanical integration engineering technician and machinist working on the DAVINCI project poses stands with his back to the helicopter as it takes off to shield himself from the roto-wash at Crater Island, Utah, June 25, 2026. NASA/Mike Guinto

A view from the DAVINCI VADIX Basecamp near Crater Island, Utah, June 25, 2026. This area was the site of a series of tests (June 23-25, 2026) of the camera system that will one day fly aboard NASA’s DAVINCI mission to Venus. NASA/Mike Guinto

Brent Bos, a research physicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, does a pre-flight check of a basket of instruments before one of the 10 high-altitude test flights at Crater Island, Utah. This area was the site of a series of tests (June 23-25, 2026) of the camera system that will one day fly aboard NASA’s DAVINCI mission probe to Venus.

A helicopter flying in U.S. Air Force restricted space over Crater Island, Utah, carrying a basket of nine instruments during a series of tests (June 23-25, 2026) of a prototype of the camera system that will one day fly aboard NASA’s DAVINCI probe to Venus. NASA/Mike Guinto

The DAVINCI VADIX team, from left to right, Mike Guinto, Brent Bos, Jason Burt, Dan Gallagher,Joe Turner, Ben Schumacher, Mike Vitulio, Erika Kohler, Lacey Young, Jim Garvin, Christian Tate, Phil Coulter, Mike Ravine, Matt Mullin, Bob Podgurski, Nick Lang; pose for a group photo in front of their vehicles at Crater Island, Utah, June 25, 2026. This area was the site of a series of tests (June 23-25, 2026) of the camera system that will one day fly aboard NASA’s DAVINCI mission to Venus. NASA/Mike Guinto

The DAVINCI VADIX dress rehearsal team poses for a group photo at Crater Island, June 4, 2026. From left to right, Erika Kohler, Terra Hardwick, Mike Vitulio, Brent Bos, Will Rivera, Christian Tate, Ben Schumacher, Phil Coulter, Joe Turner, Mike Guinto, Hailey. NASA/MIke Guinto

Dr. Jim Garvin, right, discusses flight plans with the pilots in between test flights at Crater Island, Utah, June 24, 2026. NASA/Mike Guinto