# Venera 10 Descent Craft

> The Venera 10 descent craft/lander was attached on top of the orbiter at launch

**Wikidata**: [Q113130030](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q113130030)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/venera-10-descent-craft

## Summary
Venera 10 Descent Craft was a Soviet lander that traveled to Venus as part of the Venera 10 mission in 1975. It was attached to the Venera 10 orbiter at launch and successfully landed on Venus to conduct surface studies. The craft was launched on June 14, 1975, using a Proton-K carrier rocket from Baikonur Cosmodrome.

## Key Facts
- Launched on June 14, 1975, from Baikonur Cosmodrome
- Launched using a Proton-K carrier rocket
- Attached to the Venera 10 orbiter at launch
- Landed on Venus to conduct surface studies
- Has COSPAR ID: 1975-054D and NSSDCA ID: 1975-054D
- Classified as a lander (spacecraft designed to descend to and rest on an astronomical body's surface)
- Part of the Venera 10 mission
- Has a spacecraft catalog number (SCN) of 08423

## FAQs
### Q: What was the Venera 10 Descent Craft?
A: The Venera 10 Descent Craft was a Soviet spacecraft that landed on Venus in 1975 as part of the Venera 10 mission. It was designed to descend to Venus's surface and conduct scientific studies of the planet's environment.

### Q: When was Venera 10 Descent Craft launched?
A: Venera 10 Descent Craft was launched on June 14, 1975, from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan using a Proton-K carrier rocket.

### Q: What was the purpose of Venera 10 Descent Craft?
A: The purpose of Venera 10 Descent Craft was to land on Venus and conduct scientific studies of the planet's surface and atmosphere, contributing to our understanding of Earth's nearest planetary neighbor.

## Why It Matters
Venera 10 Descent Craft represents a significant achievement in planetary exploration, demonstrating the Soviet Union's capability to successfully land spacecraft on Venus and transmit data from the planet's hostile surface environment. This mission contributed valuable scientific data about Venus's surface conditions, atmospheric composition, and geological features, helping to advance our understanding of terrestrial planet evolution and atmospheric science. The success of Venera 10 and its descent craft paved the way for future Venus exploration missions and demonstrated the feasibility of long-duration operations in extreme planetary environments. These missions were crucial in establishing Venus as a key target for comparative planetology studies, allowing scientists to better understand the differences between Earth and Venus despite their similar sizes and compositions.

## Notable For
- First successful Soviet mission to return color photographs from Venus's surface
- Operated for 65 minutes on Venus's surface, transmitting data before succumbing to extreme heat and pressure
- Part of the highly successful Venera program that achieved multiple Venus landings
- Demonstrated Soviet technological capability to survive Venus's extreme surface conditions (temperatures around 470°C and pressure 90 times Earth's)
- Contributed to the first detailed geological mapping of Venus's surface

## Body
### Technical Specifications and Mission Design
The Venera 10 Descent Craft was engineered to withstand Venus's extreme surface conditions, including temperatures hot enough to melt lead and atmospheric pressure 90 times greater than Earth's. The craft incorporated a robust thermal protection system and pressure-resistant structure to survive these harsh conditions long enough to conduct scientific measurements and transmit data back to Earth.

### Scientific Instruments and Capabilities
The descent craft carried a suite of scientific instruments designed to analyze Venus's surface composition, atmospheric properties, and take photographs. These instruments included cameras for surface imaging, spectrometers for chemical analysis, and various sensors to measure temperature, pressure, and wind speed. The craft successfully transmitted the first color images from Venus's surface, providing unprecedented views of the planet's rocky terrain.

### Mission Timeline and Achievements
After separating from the Venera 10 orbiter, the descent craft entered Venus's atmosphere and deployed parachutes for controlled descent. It landed on October 22, 1975, in the Venusian highlands region. During its 65-minute operational lifetime on the surface, the craft transmitted valuable scientific data and images before the extreme conditions eventually disabled its systems. This mission demonstrated the Soviet Union's continued leadership in Venus exploration during the 1970s.

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report