The Union Cabinet has approved Rs 1,236 crore for the Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM), which is planned to launch in March 2028. This will be India’s second interplanetary mission, following the Mars Orbiter Mission, which was launched on November 5, 2013, and successfully entered Mars' orbit on September 24, 2014. Key Features of the Mission The Venus Orbiter Mission will explore Venus by studying its surface features, dust and clouds, lightning, volcanic activity, atmosphere, ionosphere, and how the planet interacts with the Sun.
Venus, the second planet from the Sun, is the hottest and brightest planet in our solar system. Ultraviolet light from the Sun energizes gases in Venus' outermost atmosphere, turning them into electrically charged particles called ions. This layer is known as the ionosphere (Earth also has an ionosphere).
The mission will also investigate why Venus, which was once thought to be similar to Earth and possibly habitable, changed over time. The mission aims to address important scientific questions and provide valuable insights. It will be carried out by the Department of Space.
Out of the total Rs 1,236 crore budget, around ₹824 crore will be used for building the spacecraft. ISRO will handle both the development and launch of the spacecraft. The project will be managed and monitored using ISRO's well-established procedures.
The spacecraft and launch vehicle will be developed in collaboration with various industries, generating numerous job opportunit.