Venus Exploration Program and International Cooperation

Аuthors

Vorontsov V. A.^*, Karchaev K. Z.^**, Martynov М. B.^***, Primakov P. V.^****

Lavochkin Research and Production Association, NPO Lavochkin, 24, Leningradskay str., Khimki, Moscow region, 141400, Russia

*e-mail: vorontsov@laspace.ru
**e-mail: kar@laspace.ru
***e-mail: maxim.martynov@laspace.ru
****e-mail: pavel.primakov@laspace.ru

Abstract

Considerable success has been achieved in the Venus exploration. Specifically it concerns planet’s atmosphere and surface study by contact methods. Thirty years ago descent vehicles of the Vega mission spent record breaking time, about two hours, on the Venus surface. For the first time in the history of planetary studies balloon probes drifted in Venus atmosphere for two days. They conducted atmosphere properties studies by means of the scientific instruments designed and developed by the institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences in cooperation with science community of other countries. It slightly opened secrets of the planet, in particular an enigma of the atmosphere super rotation. Vega (Venus — Halley comet) mission activities could become a perfect example of the international cooperation. The scientists from eleven countries participated in this project realization. Various Venus exploration mission scenario alternatives are currently being developed after a long break in the Venus research. A modern and perspective Russian spacecraft Venera-D project intended for the long-term planet study is thought to consist of an orbiter, subsatellites, a lander and balloon probes. Proposals of the international mission organization with distribution of the responsibilities for the various spacecraft components between parties and probable usage of various launch vehicles are under consideration. The international cooperation in the implementation of the Venus research complex program shall enable to significantly increase the scientific performance of the projects with simultaneously high cost effectiveness.

Keywords:

Venus, exploration program, international cooperation, spacecraft

References

1. Vorontsov V.A., Lokhmatova M.G., Martynov M.B., Pichkhadze K.M., Simonov A.V., Khartov V.V., Zasova L.V., Zelenyi L.M., Korablev O.I. Vestnik FGUP NPO im. S.A. Lavochkina, 2010, no. 4, pp. 62-67.

2. Khartov V.V., Martynov M.B., Pichkhadze K.M., Karchaev Kh.Zh., Yaremenko D.E. Vorontsov V.A. 20 Mezhdunarodnaya konferentsiya «Sistemnyi analiz, upravlenie i navigatsiya», Sbornik dokladov, Krym, Evpatoriya, 2015, pp. 12.

3. Vorontsov V.A. 50-Nauchnye chteniya pamyati K.E. Tsiolkovskogo, Sbornik dokladov, Kaluga, 2015, pp. 38-39.

4. Pichkhadze K.M., Vorontsov V.A., Tikhonov V.A., Ivanov S.V., Rodin A.L., Ustinov S.N., Lyubeznyi B.V. XXXIX Akademicheskie chteniya po kosmonavtike, Sbornik dokladov, Moscow, 2015, pp.175.

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