Isro announces launch date of ambitious Venus Orbiter Mission

spacecraft will carry an array of cutting-edge instruments, including synthetic aperture radar, infrared and ultraviolet cameras. (Photo: India Today)

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up for its mission to Venus, with the Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM).

The Indian space agency has announced that the spacecraft will take a total of 112 days to travel to Earth's mysterious twin.

The spacecraft is scheduled to launch on March 29, 2028. Shukrayaan-1, will mark India's first foray into exploring the inner planet.

The mission will utilise ISRO's powerful LVM-3 (Launch Vehicle Mark 3) rocket to propel the spacecraft on its 112-day journey to Venus. The orbiter is expected to reach its destination on July 19, 2028, showcasing India's growing capabilities in interplanetary exploration.

VOM aims to study Venus's atmosphere, surface, and geological features using a suite of sophisticated scientific instruments. The mission's primary objectives include 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 synthetic aperture radar, infrared and ultraviolet cameras, and sensors to study Venus's ionosphere. These tools will help scientists unravel the mysteries of Venus's thick, carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere and explore the possibility of active volcanoes on the planet's surface.

 

India's Venus Orbiter Mission will be equipped with a suite of scientific instruments designed to explore Venus's atmosphere, surface, and plasma environment.

VSAR (Venus S-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar): It aims to search for active volcanism and map Venus with high resolution, providing insights into the planet's topography and surface properties.

VSEAM (Venus Surface Emissivity and Atmospheric Mapper): This hyperspectral spectrometer will study Venus's surface and atmosphere, focusing on volcanic hotspots, cloud structure, and water vapor mapping.

VTC (Venus Thermal Camera): Designed to map thermal emissions from Venusian clouds, it will provide 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): LIVE will detect electrical activity in Venus’s atmosphere, analyzing lightning and plasma emissions.

VASP (Venus Atmospheric Spectropolarimeter): This instrument will investigate cloud properties and global circulation.

SPAV (Solar Occultation Photometry): SPAV will measure 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.

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 demonstrates India's commitment to advancing its space exploration capabilities5.