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Venera 4

NSSDC ID: 1967-058A

Description

Venera 4 was launched from a Tyazheliy Sputnik (67-058B) towards the planet Venus with the announced mission of direct atmospheric studies. On October 18, 1967, the spacecraft entered the Venusian atmosphere and released two thermometers, a barometer, a radio altimeter, and atmospheric density gauge, 11 gas analyzers, and two radio transmitters operating in the DM waveband. The main bus, which had carried the capsule to Venus, carried a magnetometer, cosmic ray detectors, hydrogen and oxygen indicators, and charged particle traps. Signals were returned by the spacecraft, which braked and then deployed a parachute system after entering the Venusian atmosphere, until it reached an altitude of 24.96 km.

Alternate Names

  • Venus 4
  • 02840

Facts in Brief

Launch Date: 1967-06-12
Launch Vehicle: Modified SS-6 (Sapwood) with 2nd Generation Upper Stage + Escape Stage
Launch Site: Tyuratam (Baikonur Cosmodrome), U.S.S.R
Mass: 1106.0 kg

Funding Agency

  • Unknown (U.S.S.R)

Discipline

  • Planetary Science

Additional Information

Experiments on Venera 4

Data collections from Venera 4

Questions or comments about this spacecraft can be directed to: Dr. David R. Williams.

 

Personnel

Name Role Original Affiliation E-mail
Mr. Artem Ivankov General Contact Lavochkin Association artem.ivankov@laspace.ru

Selected References

Reese, D. E., and P. R. Swan, Venera 4 probes atmosphere of Venus, Science, 159, 1228-1230, Mar. 1968.

Vakhnin, V. M., Review of the Venera 4 flight and its scientific program, J. Atmos. Sci., 25, 533-534, July 1968.

Petrov, B. N., Space research in the USSR and the Venera 4 experiment, Spaceflight, 11, 171-173, May 1969.

Shelton, W., Soviet space exploration - the first decade, Arthur Barker Ltd., Unnumbered, London, England, 1969.

[Venera 4 Capsule] [Venera 4 Capsule] [Venera 4 Bus]
Venera 4 descent capsule and another view of the Venera 4 bus

Venera page
Venus Page

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