India plans to launch the Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM) to Venus in March 2028. He writes about it Thehindu.
The launch of the Venusian mission is scheduled for March 29, 2028, the message states.
The purpose of the mission is to study the atmosphere, geology and evolution of the planet. The focus of the mission will be on the seismic activity of Venus. It is assumed that, in addition to the orbital vehicle, it will include a launch module that will drop a small balloon into the planet's atmosphere.
It will take 112 days for the Automatic Interplanetary Station (AMS) to reach the Venusian orbit. The budget of the project will be 149 million dollars. At the same time, the cost of the spacecraft itself will be 99 million.
The Indian government believes that the project will be beneficial to the local economy and will create hundreds of new jobs in the near future.
Let's add that this is far from the first attempt of humanity to reach the planet. In total, more than 40 spacecraft have explored Venus, but not all of them have achieved their goals.
China also has its own Venusian mission project. The People's Republic of China plans to study the geological evolution of the planet, the processes of interaction between the surface and the atmosphere, as well as the assessment of the potential for life in its clouds. The mission has not been officially approved yet.
Venus is the brightest planet in the solar system. It is not always visible in the sky, but when it does appear, it can be easily seen with the naked eye. To quickly find Venus, use a free app Sky Tonight.