Wed Sep 18 00:47:00 UTC 2024: ## India’s ISRO Sets Sights on Venus: Shukrayaan Mission Approved for 2028 Launch
New Delhi: In a significant development for India’s space exploration program, the Union Cabinet has approved the ambitious Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM), aptly named “Shukrayaan.” This marks ISRO’s foray into exploring the geology and atmosphere of Venus, Earth’s “twin” planet, which holds secrets about the evolution of planetary atmospheres.
The mission, estimated to cost ₹1,236 crore, will launch in March 2028 and utilize an orbiter to probe the surface, subsurface, and atmosphere of Venus. This data will be made available to the global scientific community, potentially shedding light on Venus’s past habitability.
Shukrayaan aims to unravel the mysteries of why Earth, Venus, and Mars, despite being terrestrial planets, have evolved so differently. Venus, with its thick, toxic atmosphere and runaway greenhouse effect, starkly contrasts with Earth’s life-supporting environment. Mars, while cold and dry, harbors potential clues to past habitability.
The mission signifies a major expansion of ISRO’s planetary science program beyond the Moon and Mars. It also paves the way for larger payloads in future missions, especially after the development of the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV), “Soorya.” ISRO will collaborate with academic institutions and private industry partners for Shukrayaan.
The mission is poised to further India’s global leadership in space exploration and contribute significantly to our understanding of the Solar System’s evolution.
First Piper 