The Venera-D mission is planned to include a lander, a balloon probe, and an orbital spacecraft.
On Sunday, Russia announced plans to launch its Venera-D interplanetary mission to revisit Venus before 2036, with preparations already in progress, reports 24brussels.
The mission is integrated into the nation’s new space program, with preliminary design work set to commence in January 2026, aligning with the onset of the national space project. Oleg Korablev, head of the Department of Planetary Physics at the Space Research Institute (IKI) of the Russian Academy of Sciences, confirmed this timeline.
The design draft phase, which is expected to span two years, is already underway, facilitated through collaboration with the Lavochkin Association, a key player in the Russian space industry. Korablev highlighted that numerous coordination meetings are taking place to enhance progress.
Korablev also noted that the precise launch date will be determined post-design completion. “But it will definitely take place within the current planning period, no later than 2036,” he stated.
The Venera-D mission is expected to feature a lander, a balloon probe, and an orbital spacecraft. Earlier this year, IKI’s scientific director, Lev Zeleny, suggested that the launch is unlikely to occur before 2034 or 2035.
