Context
India is poised to launch its first mission to Venus, named the Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM), in March 2028. This mission marks a significant milestone in India’s space exploration endeavors, following the successful Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) in 2013. The mission aims to deepen our understanding of Venus, often referred to as Earth’s “twin,” by studying its atmosphere, surface, and geological processes.
Mission Overview
Objectives of the Venus Orbiter Mission
The primary objectives of the VOM are:
- Surface and Subsurface Study: Simply to explore the physical characteristics and the make-up of the rocky planet Venus.
- Atmospheric Analysis: In order to study the thick particle layer on the surface of the planet and its effect on solar radiation.
- Understanding Planetary Evolution: This was to provide an understanding into why Venus and Earth which are sisters yet so different.
Budget and Timeline
The Indian Union Cabinet has provided financial support for the mission to the tune of ₹1,236 crore ($149 million), which includes ₹824 crore for the spacecraft. The launch is timed for March 2028 when the proper alignment of Earth and Venus is observed only once in 19 months.
Technical Aspects of the Mission
Spacecraft Design and Payload
The VOM will be equipped with advanced scientific instruments weighing around 100 kg, including:
- Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR): The chaff to steer the plane for moving along the surface through the dense clouds.
- Thermal Cameras: In order to understand changes in temperature and other geological structures.
Further instruments will be installed to support investigations of the atmosphere and the ionosphere.
Trajectory and Travel Duration
The spacecraft will follow a trajectory similar to previous Indian missions:
- It will then speed up after launch in earth’s orbit.
- It will then perform a slingshot method around Venus.
- It will take approximately 140 days to get to Venus after leaving the orbit of the Earth.
Aero-Braking Technique
ISRO will also use a process known as Aero braking for the first time in its Indian mission. This means that for any maneuver that needs it the atmosphere of Venus is used to slow down the spacecraft so that it would need little or no fuel to maneuver into the right orbit. First, it will be placed in a large orbit, then it will be brought to a better orbit for scientific observation.
Importance of Studying Venus
Earth’s Twin
Venus is often called Earth’s twin due to its similar size and mass. However, it presents extreme environmental conditions that differ significantly from Earth:
- High Surface Temperature: Approximately 462°C, hotter than Mercury, primarily due to a runaway greenhouse effect.
- Atmospheric Pressure: Nearly 92 times that of Earth’s at sea level, comparable to being deep underwater.
- Composition: The atmosphere is predominantly carbon dioxide (about 96.5%) with clouds of sulfuric acid.
Historical Context
Studying Venus can provide critical insights into planetary evolution. It is believed that Venus may have had water in its early history but transformed into a dry planet due to intense heat and pressure. Understanding this transformation can shed light on climate dynamics and planetary habitability.
Previous Missions and Future Prospects
Historical Missions
There are so many missions that have been exercised by different companies such as NASA and Russia. These missions have proved to serve important data but have encountered some difficulties due to the environment of Venus.
Future Missions
India’s VOM will join upcoming missions targeting Venus:
- The atmosphere is set to be examined by NASA’s DaVinci mission in 2029.
- The 2031 NASA’s Veritas mission is to examine the surface topology.
- The geophysical processes will be studied in the EnVision mission planned by the European Space Agency to be launched in 2030.
Conclusion
The launch of India’s first mission to Venus is a quantum leap in the Asian country’s space exploration dominion. ISRO’s equipment is technologically sophisticated, and its scientific plan is clear: in addition to improving humanity’s knowledge of Venus, the agency also seeks to establish India as a prominent participant in space exploration. While aspiring scientists plan for this great launch in 2028, he said information that VOM may generate can revolutionize planetary science and may have lessons for Earth’s future. As well as displaying Indias increasing capabilities in space exploitation it underlines the role of international cooperation in the exploration of our solar system.
Source: The Indian Express