List of missions to Venus

Last updated

Contents

Launches to Venus
Decade
    1960s
    18
    1970s
    11
    1980s
    8
    1990s
    1
    2000s
    2
    2010s
    5
    2020s
    1
    Global topographic map of Venus, with all the Soviet probe landings marked (red: returned images; with additional black dot: analyzed samples). VenusLanderTopo.jpg
    Global topographic map of Venus, with all the Soviet probe landings marked (red: returned images; with additional black dot: analyzed samples).

    There have been 46 space missions to the planet Venus (including gravity-assist flybys). Missions to Venus constitute part of the exploration of Venus. The Soviet Union, followed by the United States, have soft landed probes on the surface. Venera 7 was the first lander overall and first for the Soviet Union, touching down on 15 December 1970. Pioneer Venus 2 contained the first spacecraft to land from the United States, the Day Probe. It soft landed on 9 December 1978. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] The most recent lander was part of the Vega 2 mission, which soft landed on 15 June 1985.

    List

    As of 2020, the Soviet Union, United States, European Space Agency and Japan have conducted missions to Venus.

    Mission Type Legend
      Mission to Venus
      Gravity assist, destination elsewhere
    SpacecraftLaunch date [7] OperatorMissionOutcomeRemarksCarrier rocket [8]
    Tyazhely Sputnik
    (1VA No.1)
    4 February 1961 OKB-1
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
    Impactor [9] Launch failurePower transformer failure, upper stage failed to ignite, never left LEO [9] Molniya
    Venera 1
    (1VA No.2)
    12 February 1961 OKB-1
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
    Impactor [9] Spacecraft failureCommunications failure. First flyby past another planet, on 19 May 1961 at less than 100,000 kilometres (62,000 mi); no data returned Molniya
    Mariner 1
    (P-37)
    22 July 1962 NASA
    Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
    FlybyLaunch failureFailed to orbit Earth; destroyed by range safety following guidance failure [10]
    2MV-1 No.1 25 August 1962 OKB-1
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
    LanderLaunch failurePremature upper stage cutoff due to ullage motor malfunction; never left LEO [10] Molniya
    Mariner 2
    (P-38)
    27 August 1962 NASA
    Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
    FlybySuccessfulFirst successful flyby past another planet on 14 December 1962
    2MV-1 No.2 1 September 1962 OKB-1
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
    LanderLaunch failureUpper stage fuel valve failed to open, resulting in failure to ignite; never left LEO [10] Molniya
    2MV-2 No.1 12 September 1962 OKB-1
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
    FlybyLaunch failureAnomalous third stage cutoff resulted in air bubbles forming in fourth stage fuel; fourth stage shut down less than a second after ignition; failed to leave LEO [10] Molniya
    3MV-1 No.2 19 February 1964 OKB-1
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
    FlybyLaunch failureThird stage oxidizer leak caused propellant to freeze in feed lines, which subsequently cracked; failed to orbit [11] Molniya-M
    Kosmos 27
    (3MV-1 No.3)
    27 March 1964 OKB-1
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
    Flyby/LanderLaunch failureUpper stage attitude control failure, never left LEO [11] Molniya-M
    Zond 1
    (3MV-1 No.4)
    2 April 1964 OKB-1
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
    Flyby/LanderSpacecraft failureElectronics shorted out, communications lost before flyby. [11] Flew past Venus on 14 July 1964. Molniya-M
    Venera 2
    (3MV-4 No.4)
    12 November 1965 OKB-1
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
    FlybySpacecraft failureFlew past Venus on 27 February 1966, closest approach at 02:52 UTC. Communications lost after flyby, before any data could be returned. [12] Molniya-M
    Venera 3
    (3MV-3 No.1)
    16 November 1965 OKB-1
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
    LanderSpacecraft failureCommunications lost as soon as spacecraft entered atmosphere on 1 March 1966, no data returned. First atmospheric entry and impact on another planet. Molniya-M
    Kosmos 96
    (3MV-4 No.6)
    23 November 1965 OKB-1
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
    FlybyLaunch failureThird stage combustion chamber exploded, resulting in loss of control, upper stage failed to ignite; Never left LEO [12] Molniya-M
    Venera 4
    (4V-1 No.310)
    12 June 1967 Lavochkin
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
    AtmosphericSuccessfulReturned atmospheric data during entry on 18 October 1967. First successful atmospheric entry. Never intended to work on surface [13] Molniya-M
    Mariner 5 14 June 1967 NASA
    Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
    FlybySuccessfulFlyby on 19 October 1967, closest approach at 17:34:56 UTC [14]
    Kosmos 167
    (4V-1 No.311)
    17 June 1967 Lavochkin
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
    LanderLaunch failureUpper stage failed to ignite; turbopump cooling malfunction. Never left LEO [14] Molniya-M
    Venera 5
    (4V-1 No.330)
    5 January 1969 Lavochkin
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
    AtmosphericSuccessfulEntered atmosphere on 16 May 1969, operated for 53 minutes Molniya-M
    Venera 6
    (4V-1 No.331)
    10 January 1969 Lavochkin
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
    AtmosphericSuccessfulEntered atmosphere on 17 May 1969, operated for 51 minutes Molniya-M
    Venera 7
    (4V-1 No.630)
    17 August 1970 Lavochkin
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
    LanderPartial successLanded at 05:37:10 UTC on 15 December 1970, rolled upon landing and returned severely limited data. First soft landing on another planet. Molniya-M
    Kosmos 359
    (4V-1 No.631)
    22 August 1970 Lavochkin
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
    LanderLaunch failureNever left LEO Molniya-M
    Venera 8
    (4V-1 No.670)
    27 March 1972 Lavochkin
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
    LanderSuccessfulLanded at 09:32 UTC on 22 July 1972. First fully successful landing on another planet. Molniya-M
    Kosmos 482
    (4V-1 No.671)
    31 March 1972 Lavochkin
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
    LanderLaunch failureNever left LEO Molniya-M
    Mariner 10 3 November 1973 NASA
    Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
    FlybySuccessfulFlyby on 5 February 1974; closest approach at 17:01 UTC; observed Venus and performed gravity assist to reach Mercury
    Venera 9
    (4V-1 No.660)
    8 June 1975 Lavochkin
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
    SuccessfulEntered orbit on 20 October 1975; lander landed at 05:13 UTC on 22 October. First orbiter of Venus and first images from the surface of another planet. Proton-K/D
    Venera 10
    (4V-1 No.661)
    14 June 1975 Lavochkin
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
    SuccessfulEntered orbit on 23 October 1975; lander landed at 05:17 UTC on 25 October Proton-K/D
    Venera 11
    (4V-1 No.360)
    9 September 1978 Lavochkin
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
    Mostly successfulFlyby on 25 December; Lander landed at 03:24 UTC the same day. Multiple instrument failures on lander Proton-K/D-1
    Venera 12
    (4V-1 No.361)
    14 September 1978 Lavochkin
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
    Mostly successfulLander landed at 03:20 UTC on 21 December 1978. Both cameras on lander failed Proton-K/D-1
    Pioneer Venus 1
    (PV Orbiter)
    20 May 1978 NASA
    Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
    OrbiterSuccessfulEntered orbit on 4 December 1978, decayed on 22 October 1992
    Pioneer Venus 2
    (PV Multiprobe)
    8 August 1978 NASA
    Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
    AtmosphericSuccessfulEntered the atmosphere on 9 December 1978; consisted of five spacecraft, two of which continued transmitting after reaching the surface [4] [1] [2] [3] [5] [6]
    Venera 13
    (4V-1M No.760)
    30 October 1981 Lavochkin
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
    SuccessfulLander landed at 03:20 UTC on 1 March 1982. First recording of sounds from another planet. Proton-K/D-1
    Venera 14
    (4V-1M No.761)
    4 November 1981 Lavochkin
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
    SuccessfulLander landed on 5 March 1982. Proton-K/D-1
    Venera 15
    (4V-2 No.860)
    2 June 1983 Lavochkin
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
    OrbiterSuccessfulEntered orbit 10 October 1983, operated until July 1984 Proton-K/D-1
    Venera 16
    (4V-2 No.861)
    7 June 1983 Lavochkin
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
    OrbiterSuccessfulEntered orbit 11 October 1983, operated until July 1984 Proton-K/D-1
    Vega 1
    (5VK No.901)
    15 December 1984 Lavochkin
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
    Mostly successfulLanded 11 June 1985. Atmospheric probe deployed during entry operated for two days. Main bus continued to explore comet 1P/Halley Proton-K/D-1
    Vega 2
    (5VK No.902)
    21 December 1984 Lavochkin
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
    SuccessfulLanded 15 June 1985. Atmospheric probe deployed during entry operated for two days. Main bus continued to explore comet 1P/Halley Proton-K/D-1
    Magellan 4 May 1989 NASA
    Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
    OrbiterSuccessfulEntered orbit 10 October 1990, deorbited 13 October 1994 Space Shuttle Atlantis
    STS-30 / IUS
    Galileo 18 October 1989 NASA
    Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
    Gravity assist at VenusSuccessfulFlyby on 10 February 1990 en route to Jupiter; observed Venus during closest pass. Space Shuttle Atlantis
    STS-34 / IUS
    Cassini 15 October 1997 NASA
    Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
    Gravity assistSuccessfulFlybys on 26 April 1998 and 24 June 1999 en route to Saturn; observed Venus during closest pass. Titan IV(401)B
    MESSENGER 3 August 2004 NASA
    Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
    Gravity assistSuccessfulFlybys on 24 October 2006 and 5 June 2007 en route to Mercury; observed Venus during closest pass. Delta II 7925H
    Venus Express 9 November 2005 ESA
    OrbiterSuccessfulEntered orbit 11 April 2006. Full communications lost on 28 November 2014 [15] Soyuz-FG/Fregat
    Akatsuki 20 May 2010 JAXA
    Flag of Japan.svg  Japan
    OrbiterMostly successfulFlew past Venus on 6 December 2010 after failing to enter orbit. Insertion was successfully reattempted on 7 December 2015.

    Last contact April 2024

    H-IIA 202
    IKAROS 20 May 2010 JAXA
    Flag of Japan.svg  Japan
    FlybySuccessfulExperimental solar sail released from the Akatsuki spacecraft. Flew past Venus on 8 December 2010 but did not make observations. H-IIA 202
    Shin'en 20 May 2010 UNISEC
    Flag of Japan.svg  Japan
    FlybySpacecraft failureCommunications never established after launch. Flew past Venus in December 2010 H-IIA 202
    Parker Solar Probe 12 August 2018 NASA
    Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
    Gravity assistOperationalFlybys on 10 October 2018, 26 December 2019, 11 July 2020, 20 February 2021, 16 October 2021, 21 August 2023, and 6 November 2024 to lower perihelion for solar observation. Delta IV Heavy/Star 48BV
    BepiColombo 20 October 2018 ESA
    Gravity assistSuccessfulFlybys on 15 October 2020 and 11 August 2021 en route to Mercury; observed Venus during closest pass. Ariane 5 ECA
    Solar Orbiter 10 February 2020 ESA
    Gravity assistOperationalFlybys on 27 Dec 2020, 8 Aug 2021, 3 Sep 2022, 18 Feb 2025, 24 Dec 2026, 17 Mar 2028, 10 Jun 2029, and 2 Sep 2030 to adjust orbital inclination. Atlas V 411

    Statistics

    Mission milestone by country

    Legend

      Achieved
      Failed attempt
    † First to achieve

    CountryFlybyOrbitAtmospheric entryImpactLanderRover
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Soviet Union Venera 1, 1961 Venera 9, 1975 Venera 3, 1966Venera 3, 1966 † Venera 7, 1970
    Flag of the United States.svg United States Mariner 2, 1962 Pioneer Venus 1, 1978 Pioneer Venus 2, 1978 Pioneer Venus 2, 1978Pioneer Venus 2, 1978
    European Space Agency logo.svg ESA Venus Express, 2006 Venus Express, 2006
    Flag of Japan.svg Japan Akatsuki, 2010 Akatsuki, 2015

    By organization

    CountryAgency
    or company
    SuccessfulPartial failureFailureOperational Gravity assist Total
    Flag of the Soviet Union.svg USSR Energia --11--11
    Lavochkin 1413--18
    Flag of the United States.svg USA NASA 6-11411
    European Space Agency logo.svg ESA ESA 1--123
    Flag of Japan.svg Japan JAXA 1----2
    UNISEC --1--1

    Future missions

    Under development

    NameOperatorProposed
    launch year
    TypeStatusReference
    Venus Life Finder Flag of the United States.svg Flag of New Zealand.svg MIT/Rocket Lab NET summer 2026Atmospheric probeunder development [16]
    MBR Explorer Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg UAESA 2028Flybyunder development [17] [18]
    Venus Orbiter Mission Flag of India.svg ISRO 29 March 2028 [19] Orbiter/atmospheric probeunder development [20]
    VERITAS Flag of the United States.svg NASA 2031Orbiterunder development [21] [22]
    DAVINCI Flag of the United States.svg NASA2031–2032Atmospheric probeunder development [21] [23]
    EnVision European Space Agency logo.svg ESA 2031–2032Orbiterunder development [24]

    Proposed missions

    NameOperatorProposed
    launch year
    TypeStatusReference
    Venera-D Flag of Russia.svg Roscosmos 2036Orbiter and landerProposed [25]
    Venus Volcano Imaging and Climate Explorer (VOICE) Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg CNSA2026OrbiterNot selected [26] [27]
    AREE Flag of the United States.svg NASA2020Wind-powered surface roverConcept study [28]
    CUVE Flag of the United States.svg NASA 2017Orbiterproposed [29]
    EVE ESA logo simple.svg ESA 2005Orbiter/Lander/BalloonNot selected [30]
    HAVOC Flag of the United States.svg NASA2015Crewed aircraftConcept study [31]
    HOVER Flag of the United States.svg NASA2019OrbiterConcept study [32]
    VAMP Flag of the United States.svg NASA2012Inflatable semi-buoyant aircraftNot selected [33]
    VICI Flag of the United States.svg NASA2027LanderNot selected [34] [35]
    VISAGE Flag of the United States.svg NASA2027LanderNot selected [36] [37] [35]
    VISE Flag of the United States.svg NASA2003LanderNot selected [38]
    VMPM Flag of the United States.svg NASA1994Atmospheric probesConcept study [39]
    VOX Flag of the United States.svg NASA2017OrbiterNot selected [40] [35]
    Zephyr Flag of the United States.svg NASA2016Sail-driven surface roverFeasibility study [41]

    See also

    References

    1. 1 2 "Pioneer Venus Project Information" . Retrieved 30 December 2023.
    2. 1 2 "Pioneer Venus 2" . Retrieved 30 December 2023. The so-called Day Probe transmitted data from the surface for 67 minutes, 37 seconds, before succumbing to the high temperatures, pressures and power depletion.
    3. 1 2 "Pioneer Venus Probes" . Retrieved 30 December 2023.
    4. 1 2 "NASA's Unintentional Venus Lander". 13 June 2016. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
    5. 1 2 "Summary of the Pioneer Venus MIssion" . Retrieved 30 December 2023.
    6. 1 2 "40 Years Ago, Pioneers Encounter Venus". 10 December 2018. Retrieved 30 December 2023. Amazingly, two of the probes survived touchdown and continued to return data from the surface – Night Probe for just 2 seconds (it likely tipped over after landing) and Day Probe for 68 minutes.
    7. McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
    8. Krebs, Gunter. "Interplanetary Probes". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
    9. 1 2 3 Siddiqi, Asif A. (2002). "1961" (PDF). Deep Space Chronicle: A Chronology of Deep Space and Planetary Probes 1958-2000. Monographs in Aerospace History, No. 24. NASA History Office. pp. 29–32.
    10. 1 2 3 4 Siddiqi, Asif A. (2002). "1962" (PDF). Deep Space Chronicle: A Chronology of Deep Space and Planetary Probes 1958-2000. Monographs in Aerospace History, No. 24. NASA History Office. pp. 34–37.
    11. 1 2 3 Siddiqi, Asif A. (2002). "1964" (PDF). Deep Space Chronicle: A Chronology of Deep Space and Planetary Probes 1958-2000. Monographs in Aerospace History, No. 24. NASA History Office. pp. 41–45.
    12. 1 2 Siddiqi, Asif A. (2002). "1965" (PDF). Deep Space Chronicle: A Chronology of Deep Space and Planetary Probes 1958-2000. Monographs in Aerospace History, No. 24. NASA History Office. pp. 47–52.
    13. "Venera-4: Plumbing the Atmosphere of Venus".
    14. 1 2 Siddiqi, Asif A. (2002). "1967" (PDF). Deep Space Chronicle: A Chronology of Deep Space and Planetary Probes 1958-2000. Monographs in Aerospace History, No. 24. NASA History Office. pp. 61–68.
    15. ESA Science & Technology: Venus Express goes gently into the night
    16. "Rocket Lab Mission to Venus". Venus Missions. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
    17. Howell, Elizabeth (28 May 2023). "UAE Asteroid Mission details". Space.com.
    18. Davis, Leonard (4 September 2024). "UAE on track to launch bold 7-asteroid mission in 2028". Space.com.
    19. "Isro announces launch date of ambitious Venus Orbiter Mission". India Today. 1 October 2024. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
    20. Jones, Andrew (18 September 2024). "India approves moon sample return, Venus orbiter, space station module and reusable launcher". SpaceNews . Retrieved 18 September 2024.
    21. 1 2 Devarakonda, Yaswant (25 March 2024). "The FY25 Presidential Budget Request for NASA". American Astronomical Society . Retrieved 29 July 2024.
    22. Howell, Elizabeth (4 November 2022). "Problems with NASA asteroid mission Psyche delay Venus probe's launch to 2031". Space.com . Retrieved 5 November 2022.
    23. Neal Jones, Nancy (2 June 2022). "NASA's DAVINCI Mission To Take the Plunge Through Massive Atmosphere of Venus". NASA . Retrieved 15 July 2022.
    24. "ESA selects revolutionary Venus mission EnVision". ESA . 10 June 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
    25. "Президент РАН сообщил о переносе сроков российских миссий на Луну и Венеру". Meduza.
    26. "Andrew Jones published (July 14, 2022). "China's proposed Venus mission would investigate the planet's atmosphere and geology". Space.com . 14 July 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
    27. Jones, Andrew (22 October 2024). "Venus atmosphere sample return noted in China's long-term space science roadmap". SpaceNews. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
    28. Segal, Matthew; Skelly, Claire A. (21 February 2020). "NASA Wants Your Help Designing a Venus Rover Concept". NASA . Retrieved 22 February 2020.
    29. NASA studies CubeSat mission to solve Venusian mystery. Lori Keesey. Published by PhysOrg. August 15, 2017.
    30. Chassefière, E.; Korablev, O.; Imamura, T.; Baines, K. H.; Wilson, C. F.; Titov, D. V.; Aplin, K. L.; Balint, T.; Blamont, J. E. (1 March 2009). "European Venus Explorer (EVE): an in-situ mission to Venus". Experimental Astronomy. 23 (3): 741–760. Bibcode:2009ExA....23..741C. doi: 10.1007/s10686-008-9093-x . hdl: 11577/3545593 . ISSN   0922-6435.
    31. Arney, Dale; Jones, Chris (2015). HAVOC: High Altitude Venus Operational Concept - An Exploration Strategy for Venus. SPACE 2015: AIAA Space and Astronautics Forum and Exposition. 31 August-2 September 2015. Pasadena, California.
    32. Hyperspectral Observer for Venus Reconnaissance (HOVER). Larry W. Esposito, and the HOVER Team. EPSC Abstracts Vol. 13, EPSC-DPS2019-340-2, 2019.
    33. VAMP' Key Vehicle Parameters – Northrop Grumman
    34. VICI: Venus In situ Composition Investigations. (PDF) L. Glaze, J. Garvin, N. Johnson, G. Arney, D. Atkinson, S. Atreya, A. Beck, B. Bezard, J. Blacksberg, B. Campbell, S. Clegg, D. Crisp, D. Dyar, F. Forget, M. Gilmore, D. Grinspoon, Juliane Gross, S. Guzewich, N. Izenberg, J. Johnson, W. Kiefer, D. Lawrence, S. Lebonnois, R. Lorenz, P. Mahaffy, S. Maurice, M. McCanta, A. Parsons, A. Pavlov, S. Sharma, M. Trainer, C. Webster, R. Wiens, K. Zahnle, M. Zolotov. EPSC Abstracts, Vol. 11, EPSC2017-346, 2017. European Planetary Science Congress 2017.
    35. 1 2 3 "NASA delays Dragonfly launch by a year". SpaceNews. 25 September 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
    36. Venus In Situ Atmospheric and Geochemical Explorer (VISAGE): A Proposed New Frontiers Mission. (PDF) Esposito, L. W. Lunar and Planetary Science XLVIII (2017)
    37. The New Frontiers Venus In Situ Atmospheric and Geochemical Explorer (VISAGE) Mission Proposal. (PDF) L.W. Esposito, D.H. Atkinson, K.H. Baines, A. Allwood, F. Altieri, S. Atreya, M. Bullock, A. Colaprete, M. Darrach, J. Day, M. Dyar, B. Ehlmann, K. Farley, J. Filiberto, D. Grinspoon, J. Head, J. Helbert, S. Madzunkov, G. Piccioni, W. Possel, M. Ravine, A. Treiman, Y. Yung, K. Zahnle. EPSC Abstracts. Vol. 11, EPSC2017-275-1, 2017. European Planetary Science Congress 2017.
    38. LARRY W ESPOSITO. Mission Concept: Venus in situ Explorer (VISE).
    39. Venus Multiprobe Mission
    40. Smrekar, Suzanne; Dyar, M. D.; et al. (eds.). Venus Origins Explorer (VOX), a Proposed New Frontier Mission (PDF). The Venus Exploration Analysis Group.
    41. Zephyr: A Landsailing Rover For Venus. (PDF) Geoffrey A. Landis, Steven R. Oleson, David Grantier, and the COMPASS team. NASA John Glenn Research Center. 65th International Astronautical Congress, Toronto, Canada. February 24, 2015. Report: IAC-14,A3,P,31x26111