INDIA: Just a little over a month after India’s historic achievement with the soft landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon’s south pole, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is poised for its next groundbreaking mission.
Unofficially referred to as “Shukrayaan-1,” this mission is set to unravel the enigmatic world of Venus. With Shukrayaan-1, ISRO aims to delve into the secrets of our planetary neighbor, Venus, and uncover answers to questions that have intrigued scientists for decades.
A mission born from vision and investment
The roots of the Shukrayaan-1 mission date back to 2012, when the idea of exploring Venus was first conceived. However, it wasn’t until 2017 that India’s premier space research organization, ISRO, initiated preliminary studies.
This move came in the wake of a significant budget increase of 23% allocated to the Department of Space for the 2017–2018 fiscal year.
In 2017, ISRO took a pivotal step by inviting payload proposals from research institutes, setting the stage for an ambitious mission that would further solidify India’s position in space exploration.
Aims and objectives
The primary objective of Shukrayaan-1 is to comprehensively study Venus, often referred to as “Earth’s twin.” This mission aims to:
Assess Venus’s surface and atmosphere: Venus boasts a thick atmosphere that conceals its surface, making it a challenging subject of study. Shukrayaan-1 aims to penetrate this veil and uncover the mysteries below.
Analyze geological composition: Venus’s surface is shrouded in toxic clouds, and very little is known about its geological composition. The mission will provide crucial data to understand the planet’s geological history.
Explore the connection between solar radiation and surface particles: Scientists are keen to unravel the interplay between solar radiation and surface features on Venus, which could shed light on planetary evolution.
Significance and potential discoveries
Shukrayaan-1 holds immense significance not only for India but for the global scientific community. By studying Venus, often called Earth’s “sister planet,” researchers hope to gain insights into the history of our own planet, which may not have been suitable for life billions of years ago.
Moreover, while it is currently considered unlikely for life to thrive on Venus’s scorching surface, recent discoveries have raised intriguing possibilities.
Scientists have detected phosphine in Venus’s clouds, a potential indicator of microbial life existing in the cooler, high-altitude regions of the planet. This discovery has ignited hope and curiosity about the possibility of life beyond Earth.
Awaiting launch details
As of now, ISRO has not officially disclosed the launch date or other crucial details related to the Shukrayaan-1 mission. However, with the organization’s track record of successful missions, anticipation is building within the scientific community and among space enthusiasts.
India’s Shukrayaan-1 mission represents another bold stride in the realm of planetary exploration.
As the world eagerly awaits more information about this groundbreaking mission, it is poised to unlock the secrets of Venus, offering insights into our neighboring planet’s past and perhaps even hints about the potential for life beyond our home planet.
Also Read: ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3: A Race Against the Cold to Revive ‘Vikram and Pragyan’
