Venus Mission of India

Mowsam Hazarika (mowsam2000@yahoo.co.in)

India has achieved remarkable feats in space exploration over the past decades, carving a niche as a cost-effective and innovative player in the global space race. Following the success of missions like Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has turned its gaze toward Venus, the brightest planet in Earth’s night sky and often referred to as Earth’s twin. The upcoming Venus mission, Shukrayaan-1, promises to unravel the mysteries of this enigmatic planet, with a focus on understanding its atmosphere, geology, and evolutionary history.

Why Venus?

Venus has intrigued scientists for decades due to its stark contrasts and surprising similarities with Earth. Slightly smaller than Earth, Venus has a thick atmosphere predominantly composed of carbon dioxide, which traps heat through an intense greenhouse effect, making its surface temperatures exceed 450°C. The planet’s acidic clouds, extreme surface pressure, and volcanic terrain pose significant scientific questions about planetary evolution and the possibility of Earth undergoing similar climate transformations in the future.

By exploring Venus, scientists hope to gain insights into the factors that shaped its hostile environment and draw comparisons with Earth’s own atmospheric and geological processes.

The Shukrayaan-1 Mission

ISRO’s Shukrayaan-1 mission, meaning “Venus craft” in Sanskrit, is envisioned as India’s first dedicated interplanetary mission to Venus. It is designed as an orbiter mission, equipped with advanced scientific instruments to study Venus from above its thick, reflective clouds.

Key objectives of the mission include:

1. Atmospheric Analysis: To study the composition and dynamics of Venus’s atmosphere, including the detection of gases such as carbon dioxide and sulphuric acid and the search for trace gases like phosphine that could hint at microbial life.

2. Surface and Subsurface Studies: To map the planet’s surface features, including volcanoes and tectonic structures, using radar imaging systems capable of penetrating Venus’s dense clouds.

3. Climate Evolution: To understand the planet’s climate history and its transition from a possibly habitable environment to its current extreme state.

Instruments and

Collaborations

The mission is expected to carry instruments developed by ISRO, as well as contributions from international partners. Proposed payloads include:

n Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) for high-resolution surface mapping.

n Spectrometers to analyse the chemical composition of Venus’s atmosphere and clouds.

n Radio Science Experiment to study the Venusian ionosphere and its interaction with solar winds.

ISRO is also exploring international collaborations for scientific experiments and technological support, reflecting the global interest in Venus exploration.

The Path Ahead

Shukrayaan-1 was initially slated for launch in the late 2020s, subject to the availability of ISRO’s GSLV Mk III launcher. The mission has been meticulously planned to ensure cost efficiency while leveraging ISRO’s experience in interplanetary missions like the Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan). With a proposed orbital insertion around Venus, the spacecraft will operate in a highly elliptical orbit to maximize data collection from the planet’s atmosphere and surface.

Significance of the Mission

India’s Venus mission holds immense significance in both scientific and strategic terms:

n Scientific Discovery: By studying Venus, India will contribute to global efforts to understand terrestrial planet evolution, aiding in comparative planetology.

n Technological Advancement: The mission will demonstrate ISRO’s capability in handling the unique challenges posed by Venus’s extreme environment, including its corrosive atmosphere and high surface temperatures.

n Global Collaboration: The mission could strengthen India’s position in international space research by fostering collaborations and sharing scientific data.

A New Horizon for Space Exploration

As humanity seeks to answer profound questions about life, climate, and planetary evolution, Venus serves as an essential laboratory. India’s Shukrayaan-1 will add a valuable dimension to the global quest for knowledge, showcasing ISRO’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of space exploration. If successful, the mission will further cement India’s reputation as a leader in cost-effective and innovative space missions, inspiring future generations of scientists and engineers.

With Venus on the horizon, India is poised to shine brighter in the ever-expanding universe of space exploration.