After NASA withdrew from the Venera-D interplanetary mission, Russia’s NPO Lavochkin took on the challenge of designing a domestic balloon to fill the gap left by the American balloon. This shift was discussed in interviews reported by Gazeta.ru, with insights from Lyudmila Zasova, head of the spectroscopy laboratory for planetary atmospheres at IKI RAS. The collaboration between the Joint Scientific Working Group IKI / Roscosmos and NASA and ONRG had previously included a balloon probe provided by NASA. Now the Russian team aims to develop a balloon probe to take the place of the American counterpart. The Vega-1 and Vega-2 missions, launched in the 1980s, already demonstrated how balloons can operate in the hazy atmosphere of Venus. These missions showed that both an atmospheric probe and its inflated balloon could descend, switch to cruising altitude, and then float within the Venusian clouds. The lander architecture was designed to allow entry into the atmosphere and subsequent deployment of the balloon for sustained atmospheric observations, with descent and landing equipment enabling the lander to reach the surface while the balloon ascended to its operational height.
Plans described by Zasova include equipping the balloon with a meteorological complex that would monitor temperature, pressure, and wind patterns. A system to collect aerosol particles would be added, along with a laser spectrometer capable of high spectral resolution to quantify sulfur-containing gases. A gas chromatograph would be included to analyze the atmospheric and cloud compositions at the cruise altitude. An experiment designed to detect lightning would be part of the payload, and at night, observations would focus on a wavelength around one micrometer to reveal surface features and possibly signs of thermal activity or volcanism. These capabilities would enable a comprehensive study of Venusian atmospheric dynamics and surface–atmosphere interactions from an elevated vantage point.
Looking ahead to 2029, Roscosmos envisions sending the Venera-D automatic station to Venus, comprising both an orbiter and a lander to conduct an in-depth study of the planet’s atmosphere and surface conditions. The mission framework emphasizes coordinated measurements from multiple platforms to build a fuller picture of Venus, including atmospheric chemistry, meteorology, cloud physics, and potential geologic activity. This approach aims to push forward our understanding of Venus as a dynamic planet with complex atmospheric processes that may bear similarities to, and contrasts with, terrestrial meteorology and climate systems, while benefiting from modern instrumentation and international cooperation to advance planetary science in the region.