India
Government’s nod to ‘Isro’s Shukrayaan’: Everything you need to know about Venus Orbiter mission | India News – Times of India
“The Indian government recently gave a nod to our Venus Orbiting Satellite – Shukrayaan. This will be launched in 2028. The idea of Chandrayaan 4 has been proposed as a sequel to Chandrayaan 3, where we will not only land on the moon. but will also return with soil and rock samples,” Desai said.
Regarding Chandrayaan 4, Desai revealed plans for a cooperative mission between India and Japan.
Chandrayaan 4 will consist of two missions. India and Japan will conduct a joint mission that will see the tip of the moon’s south pole at 90 degrees south, compared to our last attempt at 69.3 degrees south latitude. It will be a precise landing. We have not yet received government approval for the mission. As part of the mission, the rover will weigh 350 kg, which is twelve times heavier than the previous rover. If we get the nod from the government. we will be able to carry out the mission in 2030,” he explained.
He further mentioned the ongoing discussions about sensors and satellites for the INSAT 4 series. Desai said: “We are having discussions about the new sensors and satellites that will be launched as part of the INSAT 4 series. The world is one generation ahead of us and we will be able to catch up with these new sensors. We will use the new meteorological and oceanographic sensors we can make even better predictions.”
Desai also outlined plans for Mars exploration and the development of space stations. “As part of the Mars mission, we will not only place a satellite in the orbit of Mars, but also attempt to land on its surface. Gaganyaan will be launched in the next two years. It will be an unmanned flight, after which we will launch a crewed flight. The government has also given permission to build India’s own space station. It will not be as large as the ISS, but will consist of five modules. We will launch the first module in 2028 and the Indian Space Station will be ready by 2035. As part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to land on the moon by 2040, our space station will act as a transit facility en route,” he concluded.
What is Venus Orbiter Mission?
‘Shukrayaan – 1’ combines Sanskrit words ‘Shukra’ (Venus) and ‘Yaana’ (craft). Isro initiated the ‘Shukrayaan -1’ concept in 2012 by soliciting payload proposals from research institutions.
The mission aims to conduct a detailed study of Venus, which scientists say is similar to Earth. The research covers the surface, atmosphere and geological structure of the planet. The program involves positioning a spacecraft in the orbit of Venus to gather vital information about the planet’s weather patterns, atmospheric features and potential geological activities. The spacecraft will use advanced scientific equipment for these observations.
The planned orbital vehicle is expected to be equipped with several instruments, including synthetic aperture radar, infrared and ultraviolet imaging equipment, and specialized equipment for studying Venus’ ionosphere.
The venture will advance understanding of Venus’s dense cloud cover, which is composed primarily of carbon dioxide and sulfuric acid. In addition, it will examine evidence of active volcanic formations.
Although NASA currently considers life on Venus unlikely, researchers are keeping open the possibility that microscopic organisms exist in Venus’ upper atmospheric layers, where pressure levels approach those of Earth’s surface. Although Shukrayaan-1 Development continues, but Isro has not yet announced a specific launch timing and crucial mission specifications.
