ISRO Plans Mission To Hottest Planet Venus, Aims To Launch Spacecraft In December 2024

Isro is mulling to launch the spacecraft to Venus in December 2024, with orbital maneuvers planned for the following year.

Computer illustration of a view across the rocky surface of the planet Venus, showing clouds of sulphuric acid obscuring the Sun

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New Delhi: A mission to the hottest planet in our solar system is the next aim of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and it is readying a spacecraft to orbit Venus. Isro chairman S Somnath said the mission would study what lies below Venus and also unravel the mysteries under the Sulfuric Acid clouds enveloping it, IANS reported.

Somnath said the Venus mission had already been conceived and a project report made. "Building and putting a mission on Venus is possible for India in a very short space of time as the capability today exists with India," Somnath said.

Isro is mulling to launch the spacecraft to Venus in December 2024, with orbital maneuvers planned for the following year. 

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The timing is important since during this period Earth and Venus will be so aligned that the spacecraft can be put in the neighbouring planet's orbit using a minimum amount of propellant. A similar window will be available next only in 2031.

However, Somnath cautioned against repeating experiments conducted by previous missions to Venus. He asked scientsts to focus on "unique high-impact" outcomes as were achieved by Chandrayaan-I and Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM).

Through the Venus mission, Isro is planning to investigate the surface processes of the planet and shallow sub-surface stratigraphy, including active volcanic hotspots and lava flows.

It also plans to study the structure, composition, and dynamics of the atmosphere in Venus, and investigate solar wind interaction with the Venusian Ionosphere.