ISRO plans mission to Venus, eyes Dec 2024 launch window

New Delhi: After sending missions to the Moon and Mars, ISRO is now readying a spacecraft to orbit Venus to study what lies below the surface of the hottest planet in the solar system and also unravel the mysteries under the sulfuric acid clouds enveloping it. Addressing a day-long meeting on Venusian science, ISRO Chairman S Somnath said the Venus mission has been conceived, project report has been made and money has been identified, and urged scientists to focus on high impact outcomes. "Building and putting a mission on Venus is possible for India in a very short space of time, as the capability today exists with India," Somnath said in his inaugural address. The space agency is eyeing the December 2024 window for launch with orbital maneuvers planned for the following year when earth and Venus would be so aligned that the spacecraft could be put in the neighbouring planet's orbit using a minimum amount of propellant. Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman Somnath cautioned against repeating experiments conducted by previous missions to Venus and focus on unique high impact outcomes as were achieved by the Chandrayaan-I and the Mars Orbiter Mission.