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.jpg) Venera 5 on a Soviet stamp | |
| Mission type | Venus atmospheric probe |
|---|---|
| Operator | Lavochkin |
| COSPAR ID | 1969-001A |
| SATCAT no. | 3642 |
| Mission duration | Travel: 131 days Atmosphere: 53 minutes |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | 2V (V-69) No. 330 |
| Manufacturer | Lavochkin |
| Launch mass | 1,130 kg (2,490 lb)[1] |
| Dry mass | 410 kg (900 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 5 January 1969, 06:28:08 UTC [1] |
| Rocket | Molniya 8K78M |
| Launch site | Baikonur 1/5 |
| End of mission | |
| Last contact | 16 May 1969, 06:54 UTC |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Heliocentric |
| Perihelion altitude | 0.72 AU |
| Aphelion altitude | 0.98 AU |
| Inclination | 2.0° |
| Period | 286 days |
| Venus atmospheric probe | |
| Atmospheric entry | 16 May 1969, 06:01 UTC |
| Impact site | 3°S 18°E / 3°S 18°E (24–26 km altitude) |
Venera 5 (Russian: Венера-5 meaning Venus 5) was a space probe in the Soviet space program Venera for the exploration of Venus.
Venera 5 was launched towards Venus to obtain atmospheric data. The spacecraft was very similar to Venera 4 although it was of a stronger design. The launch was conducted using a Molniya-M rocket, flying from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.
When the atmosphere of Venus was approached, a capsule weighing 405 kg (893 lb) and containing scientific instruments was jettisoned from the main spacecraft. During satellite descent towards the surface of Venus, a parachute opened to slow the rate of descent. For 53 minutes on 16 May 1969, while the capsule was suspended from the parachute, data from the Venusian atmosphere were returned.[2] It landed at 3°S 18°E / 3°S 18°E. The spacecraft also carried a medallion bearing the State Coat of Arms of the Soviet Union and a bas-relief of Lenin to the night side of Venus.
Given the results from Venera 4, the Venera 5 and Venera 6 landers contained new chemical analysis experiments tuned to provide more precise measurements of the atmosphere's components. Knowing the atmosphere was extremely dense, the parachutes were also made smaller so the capsule would reach its full crush depth before running out of power (as Venera 4 had done).
- ^ a b Siddiqi, Asif (2018). Beyond Earth: A Chronicle of Deep Space Exploration, 1958–2016 (PDF) (second ed.). NASA History Program Office.
- ^ Anne Marie Helmenstine, "This Day in Science History – May 16 – Venera 5 'Landing'" Archived 21 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine, About.com