Venera 5
Venera 5 — a strengthened Venus atmospheric probe (launched 5 January 1969). On 16 May 1969 it descended into the night side on a smaller parachute to fall faster, sending readings for 53 minutes until the heat and pressure stopped it 24–26 km up. It confirmed Venera 4's carbon-dioxide atmosphere and its lack of water vapour.
Key facts
Mission & specifications
Mission
- Operator
- Lavochkin (USSR)
- Launched
- January 5, 1969
- Status
- Completed
Trajectory
- Distance from the Sun
- 0.726 AU
- Computed from the cached position
- Distance from Earth
- 0.355 AU
- Computed from cached positions
- Distance from Venus
- 0.135 AU
- Computed from cached positions
Mission
Venera 5 and its twin Venera 6 were built to go deeper into Venus's atmosphere than Venera 4. Their probes were stronger, built to take decelerations of up to 450 g, and carried smaller parachutes so that they would fall faster and get lower while still working. Venera 5 was launched on 5 January 1969. On 16 May, 37,000 km from Venus, it released its probe, which entered the night side of the atmosphere at 06:01 UT. When it had slowed to 210 m/s its parachute opened and it began to transmit, sending readings every 48 seconds for 53 minutes — about 70 pressure and 50 temperature measurements — before the conditions overwhelmed it 24 to 26 km above the surface, at roughly 320 °C and 26 bar. It confirmed Venera 4's picture: an atmosphere of carbon dioxide (93–97%), extremely hot, under great pressure and lacking water vapour. The probe also carried a medallion with the Soviet coat of arms and a bas-relief of Lenin to the night side of Venus.
- 1969Launch toward VenusLaunch
A strengthened atmospheric probe sets out.
53 minutes of readings, down to 24–26 km above the surface.
Images
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