Venera 3

Venera 3 (Russian: Венера-3 meaning Venus 3) (Manufacturer's Designation: 3MV-3) was a Venera program space probe that was built and launched by the Soviet Union to explore the surface of Venus. It was launched on 16 November 1965 at 04:19 UTC from Baikonur, Kazakhstan.

Mission

The mission of this spacecraft was to land on the Venusian surface. The entry body contained a radio communication system, scientific instruments, electrical power sources, and medallions bearing the Coat of Arms of the Soviet Union.

The probe possibly crash-landed on Venus on 1 March 1966, making Venera 3 the first spacecraft to impact on the surface of another planet. However, its communications systems failed before it reached the planet.

See also

References