Space Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM)- Shukrayaan Context: During Prime Minister official visit to Sweden, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Swedish National Space Agency signed a MoU formalizing Sweden’s participation in India’s upcoming Venus Orbiter Mission. About Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM) Officially called the Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM), Indian Space Research Organisation’s Shukrayaan (which translates to “Venus Craft”) will be India’s first exclusive mission to explore Venus. The mission has been cleared by the Union Cabinet with an estimated cost of ₹1,236 crore. The orbiter is expected to carry 19 scientific instruments for research and observation. Planned Launch: March 29, 2028, using LVM3, ISRO’s heavy-lift launch vehicle. Main Goals of the Venus Orbiter Mission Examine the geological structure of Venus, including its surface and regions beneath it. Study the planet’s atmosphere, its composition, and weather-related processes. Explore the ionosphere and understand its changing behaviour. Observe how Venus interacts with solar radiation and charged particles from the Sun. Compare the evolution of Venus with Earth to understand why the two planets developed so differently. Scientific Instruments on Board Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR): Used for high-resolution mapping and imaging of Venus’s surface. Thermal Imaging Cameras: Designed to record heat patterns and temperature changes. Atmospheric Sensors and Instruments: Intended to analyse atmospheric gases, circulation, and dynamics. Key Technical Features of the Mission Aero-Braking Method :For the first time, ISRO plans to use the aero-braking technique during a planetary mission. In this process, the spacecraft will pass through the upper layers of Venus’s atmosphere repeatedly to gradually reduce its orbit. This method helps save a significant amount of fuel. Orbital Plan:The orbiter will first be placed in a highly elliptical orbit around Venus. Later, mission controllers will adjust it into a lower orbit to improve scientific observations and data collection. Chandrayaan-3 mission…
