New Delhi: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up for its ambitious Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM), aiming to uncover the secrets of Earth's enigmatic twin. The spacecraft is set to launch on March 29, 2028, and will embark on a 112-day journey to Venus, arriving at its destination on July 19, 2028. This mission, named Shukrayaan-1, marks India's inaugural exploration of the inner planet, highlighting the country's advancing capabilities in interplanetary exploration.
The VOM will utilize ISRO's powerful LVM-3 (Launch Vehicle Mark 3) rocket to propel the orbiter. The primary objectives of the mission include studying Venus's atmosphere, surface, and geological features through a suite of sophisticated scientific instruments. Key research goals involve investigating the planet's atmospheric composition, surface characteristics, and potential volcanic or seismic activity.
The spacecraft will carry an array of cutting-edge instruments, including:
VSAR (Venus S-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar): Aims to search for active volcanism and map Venus with high resolution, providing insights into topography and surface properties.
VSEAM (Venus Surface Emissivity and Atmospheric Mapper): A hyperspectral spectrometer focusing on volcanic hotspots, cloud structure, and water vapor mapping.
VTC (Venus Thermal Camera): Designed to map thermal emissions from Venusian clouds, it will deliver critical data on atmospheric dynamics and planetary-scale features.
VCMC (Venus Cloud Monitoring Camera): This UV and visible wavelength camera will capture atmospheric circulation dynamics and study wave phenomena and lightning.
LIVE (Lightning Instrument for Venus): Detects electrical activity in Venus’s atmosphere, analyzing lightning and plasma emissions.
VASP (Venus Atmospheric Spectropolarimeter): Investigates cloud properties and global circulation.
SPAV (Solar Occultation Photometry): Measures the vertical distribution of aerosols and haze in Venus’s mesosphere.
The Venus Orbiter Mission represents a collaborative effort, with international participation from countries like Russia, France, Sweden, and Germany. Notably, the Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF) will contribute the Venusian Neutrals Analyzer (VNA) instrument to study the interaction between charged particles from the Sun and Venus's atmosphere.
With a budget of 1,236 crore (approximately $150 million) approved by the Indian government, the Venus Orbiter Mission reflects India's strong commitment to advancing its space exploration capabilities.
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