India consents first Venus space investigation
Date
10/3/2024 6:00:27 AM
(MENAFN) India's space ambitions continue to soar as the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announces its plan to launch a satellite probe to Venus in early 2028. This mission is part of a broader initiative, funded at approximately USD147.1 million, to explore the solar system, including comprehensive studies of the Moon and Mars.
The Indian government has greenlit two major missions recently, one of which is the Venus probe. The second mission, named Chandrayaan-4, aims to collect lunar samples and bring them back to Earth. This new endeavor builds on India's successful track record in space exploration, which includes three previous lunar missions under the Chandrayaan program in 2008, 2019, and 2023. Notably, last year's Chandrayaan-3 mission made India the first nation to land on the lunar south pole, adding to an elite group of countries that have successfully executed such landings. Furthermore, India achieved a significant milestone in 2014 with its Mars Orbiter Mission.
ISRO highlighted that India's planetary exploration strategy focuses on comparative planetology, which seeks to understand the similarities and differences among various celestial bodies, as well as the diverse interactions between the Sun and planets. The upcoming Venus mission promises to contribute valuable global datasets for future scientific investigations, particularly since earlier probes have provided limited coverage of Venus’s South-polar region and equatorial belt. As ISRO pointed out, despite numerous global missions, Venus remains a planet shrouded in mystery.
The probe will be tasked with gathering crucial data on Venus's climate, atmospheric composition, and any volcanic or seismic activities that may occur. Over the span of five years, the mission aims to analyze the thick cloud cover that envelops the planet. To accomplish this ambitious undertaking, ISRO will utilize its new heavy-lift launch vehicle, the Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (LVM-3), which is designed to carry 19 payloads, including both Indian and international scientific instruments. This marks a significant step forward in India's quest to explore and understand the solar system.
MENAFN03102024000045015687ID1108742754
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.