New Delhi: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has achieved global recognition by making history with the successful soft landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the moon’s South Pole and launching its first solar mission, Aditya-L1. Now, ISRO Chairman S Somanath has announced that preparations for a mission to Venus, unofficially known as ‘Shukrayaan,’ are well underway.
During an address to the Indian National Science Academy in Delhi, Somanath revealed that the mission to Venus is already in the configuration stage, and payloads have been developed for this ambitious endeavour.
Venus is a planet of great interest to scientists due to its unique characteristics. Exploring Venus will provide valuable insights into various aspects of space science. The planet possesses a dense atmosphere with atmospheric pressure approximately 100 times that of Earth, and it is abundant in acidic compounds. Venus’s surface remains shrouded in mystery, with uncertainty about whether it is solid or not. Understanding Venus is essential because it could shed light on the potential evolution of planets, including Earth, in the distant future.
While there is no official launch date, ‘Shukrayaan’ is anticipated to be sent on its mission to Venus in December 2024. ISRO’s commitment to space exploration and its efforts to unravel the mysteries of our solar system continues to garner admiration and acclaim on a global scale. The mission to Venus marks yet another remarkable step in ISRO’s journey of scientific discovery and technological achievement, solidifying India’s position as a prominent player in space exploration.