Following two recently accomplished missions, Chandrayaan 3 and Aditya L-1, ISRO is fully prepared for its next space exploration. This forthcoming mission will be directed towards studying Venus.
Shukrayaan 1 marks ISRO's first mission to Venus, named by combining the Sanskrit words 'Shukra' for Venus and 'Yaana' for carrier. Initially conceptualized in 2012, the mission faced delays but is now a priority for ISRO after recent successful ventures.
Named Shukrayaan-I, it will employ GSLV Mk II or GSLV Mk III for launch, equipped with advanced technology including high-resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and ground-penetrating radar to explore Venus, the solar system's hottest planet.
Originally set for a mid-2023 launch, the ISRO Venus Orbiter Mission, Shukrayaan I, faced delays due to the pandemic. ISRO chairman S. Somanath announced a new launch plan for December 2024, with a backup window in 2031.
Shukrayaan 1's mission objective includes studying exoplanet environments and the evolution of planets resembling Earth. The mission will serve as a valuable tool for simulating Earth's climate, offering insights into potential drastic shifts in a planet's climate.
Venus became the first planet explored by a spacecraft when NASA's Mariner 2 scanned the cloud-covered world on December, 1962. Subsequently, numerous spacecraft from various space agencies, including NASA's Magellan, have explored Venus and mapped its surface with radar.