Shukrayaan-1: India’s next stop in space? A scorching date with Venus

India is gearing up for an exciting new space adventure with its proposed Venus Orbiter Mission.
After the success of the Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) and Chandrayaan lunar missions, India now aims to explore Venus, often dubbed Earth’s “twin.”
This mission is being developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) and is expected to launch in the coming years. Here’s a closer look at the mission, why India wants to explore Venus, and why there’s renewed global interest in our neighbouring planet.

Venus shining next to Moon as seen from Earth. (Photo: Nasa)

The Venus Orbiter Mission, tentatively named “Shukrayaan-1,” is India’s first planned mission to Venus.
It is designed to study the planet’s atmosphere, surface, and geological features using sophisticated scientific instruments. The mission will place a spacecraft in orbit around Venus to collect critical data on the planet’s climate, atmospheric composition, and its potential for volcanic or seismic activity.
The orbiter is expected to carry instruments like synthetic aperture radar, infrared and ultraviolet cameras, and sensors that will study Venus’s ionosphere.
The mission will provide key insights into the thick clouds that shroud Venus, composed primarily of carbon dioxide and sulfuric acid, and explore whether there are any signs of active volcanoes.
Key Objectives:
* Investigate surface processes and subsurface stratigraphy
* Study the structure, composition, and dynamics of Venus’s atmosphere
* Explore solar wind interactions with the Venusian ionosphere
India’s interest in Venus goes beyond national prestige. Studying Venus offers a unique opportunity to understand Earth’s future.
Venus, once believed to have oceans, has now become a sweltering greenhouse world with surface temperatures reaching 470°C. By comparing Venus’s climate with Earth’s, scientists hope to uncover clues about climate change, atmospheric dynamics, and planetary evolution.
Studying Venus can provide insights into Earth’s potential future and the factors that make a planet habitable.

Venus is notoriously difficult to study due to its extreme temperatures. (Photo: ESA)

For Isro, the mission represents another leap in its space exploration capabilities.
Venus is notoriously difficult to study due to its extreme temperatures and dense atmosphere, and successful exploration would place India among an elite group of countries with advanced planetary science programs.
Globally, there’s a resurgence of interest in Venus. The race to Venus is fueled by the need to answer fundamental questions about planetary evolution, climate change, and the potential for life in extreme conditions.
In recent years, NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and Russia have all announced their own Venus missions. The discovery of phosphine gas in Venus’s atmosphere, a potential biomarker, in 2020, reignited speculation about the possibility of microbial life in its clouds.
Furthermore, Venus’s proximity and its potential as a comparative study to Earth make it a compelling target for future space exploration.

Venus has now become a sweltering greenhouse world. (Photo: Nasa)

Several space agencies have announced Venus missions:
* NASA’s DAVINCI+ and VERITAS missions (planned for 2028-2030)
* ESA’s EnVision mission (planned for early 2030s)
* Russia’s Venera-D mission (under development)
The race to Venus is not just about science; it’s about fostering international collaboration and demonstrating space capabilities in a competitive geopolitical environment. With countries like the U.S., Russia, and China focusing on Venus, India’s planned mission is another step in advancing its global space ambitions.
India’s Venus Orbiter Mission is part of a larger wave of exploration that could unlock secrets about Earth’s sister planet and our own planet’s future.