Venera 13 photos from the surface of Venus

In summary, In 1982, the USSR sent a space probe named Venera 13 to land on the planet Venus. The lander lasted only two hours before succumbing to the extreme temperatures and crushing pressures on the surface of Venus. However, Venera 13, along with its companion probe Venera 14, exceeded its expected life on the surface and captured stunning photographs. This mission was a technological feat, as the probes were specially designed to survive the hostile environment. There are currently a number of planned missions to Venus with reinforced and heat-insulated landers, including a robotic rover called Zephyr that is intended to roam around for almost two months. However, it is unlikely that all of these missions will
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ElliotSmith
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In 1982, the USSR sent a space probe named Venera 13 to land on the planet Venus.

The lander lasted only two hours before succumbing to the extreme temperatures and crushing pressures on the surface of Venus, but not before it sent back these stunning photographs.
 

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Venera 13 was one of a series of Soviet missions to Venus, and was coupled by Venera 14. Two identical probes launched five days apart that each lasted beyond their expected life on the surface, an absolute technological tour de force.

More photos from these missions can be found at Don P. Mitchell's website.
 
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  • #3
Tghu Verd said:
Venera 13 was one of a series of Soviet missions to Venus, and was coupled by Venera 14. Two identical probes launched five days apart that each lasted beyond their expected life on the surface, an absolute technological tour de force.

More photos from these missions can be found at Don P. Mitchell's website.

Do you think that there will be future probe missions to Venus with specially designed reinforced and heat-insulated lander craft which will last significantly longer?
 
  • #4
There are a number of planned missions to Venus, and they all require especially designed craft to survive the hostile environment of space and within the atmosphere. Check out this Wikipedia page for the more than a dozen that are on the drawing board, comprising both orbiters and landers.

It's unlikely they will all proceed (and especially NASA's High Altitude Venus Operational Concept - HAVOC- because it's crewed, so that's decades away at best) but I particularly like their robotic Venus rover, Zephyr, that is wind propelled and intended to roam around for almost two months. The artists impression makes it look like a solar powered skate board with a sail to me 😄
 

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1. What is Venera 13 and why is it significant?

Venera 13 was a Soviet spacecraft that landed on the surface of Venus in 1982. It was the first spacecraft to successfully transmit images from the surface of Venus, providing valuable information about the planet's surface and atmosphere.

2. How were the photos taken by Venera 13?

Venera 13 had a camera mounted on its lander that took photos using a rotating mirror mechanism. The camera had a filter wheel that allowed it to capture images in different wavelengths, providing a better understanding of the surface composition of Venus.

3. What did the photos reveal about the surface of Venus?

The photos taken by Venera 13 showed a rocky and desolate landscape with a reddish-orange hue. The surface was found to be covered in volcanic rocks and the atmosphere was thick with clouds of sulfuric acid.

4. How did Venera 13 survive the extreme conditions on Venus?

Venera 13 was equipped with a protective heat shield and a refrigeration unit to protect its instruments from the intense heat and pressure on the surface of Venus. It also had a special parachute system to slow its descent and a shock-absorbing landing mechanism.

5. What impact did the Venera 13 mission have on our understanding of Venus?

The Venera 13 mission provided the first direct observations of the surface of Venus and helped scientists gain a better understanding of the planet's geology and atmospheric conditions. It also paved the way for future missions to Venus and other planets in our solar system.

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