Space Station Info :: Nine Planet Solar System :: Space Venus :: Venus Venera Images

Venus Venera Images

Venera 11 and Venera 12 flew past Venus, dropping descent vehicles on December 21 and December 25 respectively in 1978. Colour cameras and a soil drill and analyzer are carried by the landers, which unfortunately malfunctioned. Each lander made measurements with a nephelometer, mass spectrometer, gas chromatograph, and a cloud-droplet chemical analyzer using X-ray fluorescence that unexpectedly discovered a large proportion of chlorine in the clouds, and also sulfur. Strong lightning activity was also detected.

Venera 13 and Venera 14 carried out effectively the same mission, arriving at Venus on March 1 and March 5, 1982. Color camera and soil-drilling/analysis experiments were successful at this time.

X-ray fluorescence scrutiny of soil samples showed results analogous to potassium-rich basalt rock.

On October 10 and October 11, 1983, Venera 15 and Venera 16 entered polar orbits around Venus. Venera 15 analyzed and mapped the upper atmosphere with an infrared Fourier spectrometer. From November 11 to July 10, both satellites mapped the northern third of the planet with synthetic aperture radar.

These results provided the first detailed understanding of the surface geology of Venus, including the discovery of unusual massive shield volcanoes such as coronae and arachnoids. Venus had no proof of plate tectonics, unless the northern third of the planet happened to be a single plate.

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Physical Characteristics of Venus

Atmosphere
Surface Features
Venus Moons

Observations And Explorations Of Venus

Historical Observations of Venus
Phases Of Venus
Early Flybys of Venus
Early Landings of Venus
Venus Early Orbiters
Pioneer Venus
Further Soviet Successes
Venus Vega Lander
Magellan Venus
Venus Recent Flybys