Shukrayaan-1: All about ISRO's Venus mission after Chandrayaan-3, Aditya-L1
What's the story
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has set its sights on Venus after the Chandrayaan-3's triumphant soft-landing on the Moon and the successful launch of Aditya-L1, India's first solar mission. ISRO's Chairman S Somanath has recently revealed the Venus mission, known as "Shukrayaan-1," is steadily advancing. The idea of this mission was conceived in 2012. It aims to delve deep into Venus, examining its surface, atmosphere, and geology to also gain a better understanding of Earth's past and potential future.
Details
Why explore Earth's twin
Venus is often called "Earth's twin" due to its similar size. However, it has a vastly different environment. Filled with acids, the planet's thick atmosphere is nearly 100 times denser than Earth's. Somanath said Venus is an intriguing planet, and exploring it will answer some important questions in space science and offer valuable insights into Earth's history and possible future. Some scientists even believe that Earth could turn into a Venus-like planet if conditions change drastically over time.
Information
Possibility of life on Venus
Although NASA remains doubtful about life on Venus, some scientists haven't dismissed the possibility of tiny microbes living in the planet's atmosphere where pressure is similar to that of Earth. The Shukrayaan-1 mission will further explore this interesting possibility by closely examining the surface and atmosphere of Venus.
Insights
Shukrayaan-1 specifics yet to be shared
Meanwhile, ISRO hasn't yet shared specific details about the Shukrayaan-1 launch or other important aspects of the mission. However, it is important to note that this isn't humanity's first attempt to explore Venus. Previous missions include the European Space Agency's Venus Express and Japan's Akatsuki Venus Climate Orbiter. Moreover, NASA's Parker Solar Probe captured breathtaking images of Venus during its voyage. As ISRO continues working on Shukrayaan-1, we can expect more updates on the mission's progress soon.