Venera

The Venera series of satellites was developed by the USSR for the gathering of data from Venus. They were relatively successful after he initial glitches were sorted out. As with some of the USSRs other satelite series they were launched in pair with a second satelite being launched soon after (a week or two) the first of the pair.

1VA (proto-Venera) - Flyby - launched February 4, 1961

Failed to leave earth orbit

Venera 1 - Flyby - launched February 12, 1961

Communications lost enroute to Venus

Venera 2 - Flyby - launched November 12, 1965

Communications lost just before arival

Venera 3 - Atmospheric Probe - launched November 16, 1965

Communications lost just before atmospheric entry

Venera 4 - Atmospheric Probe - launched June 12, 1967

Arrived October 18, 1967 and was the first probe to enter another planet's atmosphere and return data

Venera 5 - Atmospheric Probe - launched January 5, 1969

Arrived May 16, 1969 and successfully returned atmoshperic data before being crushed by pressure within 26km of the surface

Venera 6 - Atmospheric Probe - launched January 10, 1969

Arrived May 17, 1969 and successfully returned atmospheric data before being crushed by pressure within 11km of the surface

Venera 7 - Lander - launched August 17, 1970

Arrived December 15, 1970, was the first successful landing of a spacecraft on another planet and survived for 23 minutes before succumbing to the heat and pressure

Venera 8 - Lander - launched March 27, 1972

Arrived July 22, 1972 and survived for 50 minutes before succumbing to the heat and pressure

Venera 9 - Orbiter and Lander - launched June 8, 1975

Arrived October 22, 1975, sent back the first (black and white) images of Venus' surface while the lander survived 53 minutes before succumbing to the heat and pressure

Venera 10 - Orbiter and Lander - launched June 14, 1975

Arrived October 25, 1975, the lander surviving 65 minutes bfore succumbing to the heat and pressure

Venera 11 - Flyby and Lander - launched September 9, 1978

Arrived December 25, 1978, the lander survived for 95 minutes however the imaging systems had failed

Venera 12 - Flyby and Lander - launched September 14, 1978

Arrived December 21, 1978, the lander surviving for 110 minutes and recorded what is thought to be lighting

Venera 13 - Flyby and Lander - launched October 30, 1981

Arrived March 1, 1982, returned the first colour images of Venus' surface and discovered leucite basalt in a soil sample using a spectrometer ; Venera 14 - Flyby and Lander - launched November 14, 1981 : Arrived March 5, 1982, a soil sample revealed tholeiitic basalt (similar to that found on Earth's mid-ocean ridges)

Venera 15 - Orbiter - launched June 2, 1983

Arrived October 10, 1983 and mapped (along with Venera 16) the northern hemisphere down to 30 degrees from North (resolution 1-2km)

Venera 16 - Orbiter - launched June 7, 1983

Arrived October 14, 1983 and mapped (along with Venera 15) the northern hemisphere down to 30 degrees from North (resolution 1-2km)