NEXT SPACEFLIGHT

Status

Success

Venera 6

Launch Time
Fri Jan 10, 1969 05:51 UTC

Last flight of Molniya-M /Block VL.

Rocket

Molniya-M /Block VL
RVSN USSR
Status: Retired
Liftoff Thrust: 4,391 kN
Payload to LEO: 6,200 kg
Payload to GTO: 2,400 kg
Stages: 4
Strap-ons: 4
Rocket Height: 42.8 m
Fairing Diameter: 2.58 m
Fairing Height: 8.28 m

Mission Details

Venera 6

Venera 6 (Russian: Венера-6 meaning Venus 6), or 2V (V-69) No.331, was a Soviet spacecraft, launched towards Venus to obtain atmospheric data. It had an on-orbit dry mass of 1,130 kg (2,490 lb).

The spacecraft was very similar to Venera 4 although it was of a stronger design. When the atmosphere of Venus was approached, a capsule with a mass of 405 kilograms (893 lb) was jettisoned from the main spacecraft. This capsule contained scientific instruments.

During descent towards the surface of Venus, a parachute opened to slow the rate of descent. For 51 minutes on May 17, 1969, while the capsule was suspended from the parachute, data from the Venusian atmosphere were returned. It landed at 5°S 23°E.

The spacecraft also carried a medallion bearing the State Coat of Arms of the Soviet Union and a bas-relief of Lenin to the night side of Venus.

Given the results from Venera 4, the Venera 5 and Venera 6 landers contained new chemical analysis experiments tuned to provide more precise measurements of the atmosphere's components. Knowing the atmosphere was extremely dense, the parachutes were also made smaller so the capsule would reach its full crush depth before running out of power (as Venera-4 had done).

Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 1,130.0 kg
Heliocentric Orbit

Location

Site 1/5, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan

Stats

1969

2nd orbital launch attempt

Molniya-M

18th mission
2nd mission of 1969
14th successful mission
7th consecutive successful mission