Government approves ISRO’s interplanertary mission to Venus ,VOM

The central government has approved the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) 's interplanetary Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM) to study the Venus planet. The Venus Orbiter Mission, also known as the Sukrayaan mission, was approved in a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 18 September 2024.

This is ISRO's second interplanetary mission after the Mars Orbiter Mission or Mangalyaan, which was launched on November 5, 2013.

India will become the fifth country to send a spacecraft to Venus after the Soviet Union, the United States, the European Union, and Japan.

Venus Orbiter Mission or the Sukrayaan -I mission 

The total approved budget for the Venus Orbiter Mission or the Sukrayaan mission is Rs.1236 crore, of which Rs. 824.00 crore will be spent on developing the spacecraft.

The mission is expected to be launched in March 2028, when the Earth and Venus will be aligned so that the spacecraft will use minimum fuel to enter Venus's orbit.

After its launch, the Shukrayaan is expected to finally station itself in Venus's polar orbit for scientific observation of the planet.

Scientific Objective of the Venus Orbiter Mission 

The primary science objectives of the  Venus Orbiter Mission or the Sukrayaan mission are to map Venus’ surface and subsurface while studying the planet’s atmospheric chemistry and interaction with the solar wind.

It will carry a ground-penetrating radar that will map the Venusian subsurface, helping scientists better understand Venus’ geology and evolution.

The Shukrayaan mission is expected to carry scientific instruments from foreign countries. 

Other Countries Mission to Venus 

The first spacecraft to successfully fly by Venus was the Mariner-2 of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States of America. It was launched in 1962 by NASA.

• Recently, Japan successfully launched its Akatsuki mission to Venus in 2010 and entered the Venus Orbit in 2015. 
• NASA plans to send its DAVINCI (Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gases, Chemistry, and Imaging) probe to Venus in 2029 and VERITAS (Venus Emissivity, Radio Science, InSAR, Topography, and Spectroscopy) probe in 2031.
• The European Space Agency plans to launch its EnVision mission in 2031.
• Russia has announced that it will launch its Venera-D mission to Venus in 2029. The mission will include an orbiter that will circle the planet and a lander that will attempt to land on its surface.

About Planet Venus 

• Venus is the second planet in our solar system, nearest to the Sun after Mercury.
• Venus is the nearest planet to Earth, and its size and density are almost similar to Earth. That is why it is also called Earth’s twin or Earth‘s sister.
• Scientists believe Venus might be the first inhabitable planet in the solar system, with water and a life-supporting climate like Earth before it became barren.
• Venus is surrounded by dense clouds, mainly of carbon dioxide. The minimal difference in day and night temperature makes Venus the hottest planet in the solar system.
• It is a shiny and bright planet, so it is also called the morning and evening stars.
• Venus and Uranus are the only two planets in our solar system that rotate clockwise, from east to west. This means the sun rises in the west and sets in the east on Venus and Uranus. 
• The rest of the planets, including Earth, rotate on their axis in an anti-clockwise direction.