# Venera 11 Descent Craft

> Venera 11 and Venera 12 were identical spacecraft built for the September 1978 Venus launch window

**Wikidata**: [Q113136514](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q113136514)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/venera-11-descent-craft

## Summary
The Venera 11 Descent Craft is a Soviet lander spacecraft launched on September 9, 1978, designed to descend to and rest on the surface of Venus. Identical to the Venera 12 spacecraft, it was built specifically to utilize the September 1978 Venus launch window. It was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome aboard a Proton-K carrier rocket.

## Key Facts
- **Classification:** Instance of a lander (a spacecraft designed to descend toward and come to rest on the surface of an astronomical body).
- **Launch Date:** September 9, 1978.
- **Launch Vehicle:** Proton-K (Russian/Soviet carrier rocket).
- **Launch Site:** Baikonur Cosmodrome.
- **Mission Context:** One of two identical spacecraft built for the September 1978 Venus launch window, alongside Venera 12.
- **Parent Craft:** A component of the broader Venera 11 mission.
- **COSPAR ID:** 1978-084D.
- **NSSDCA ID:** 1978-084D.
- **Aliases:** Venera 11 Lander, Venera11DescentCraft.

## FAQs
### Q: What type of spacecraft is the Venera 11 Descent Craft?
A: It is classified as a lander, defined as a spacecraft which descends toward and comes to rest on the surface of an astronomical body.

### Q: When was the Venera 11 Descent Craft launched?
A: The craft was launched on September 9, 1978, utilizing the Venus launch window available that month.

### Q: How is the Venera 11 Descent Craft related to Venera 12?
A: According to mission records, Venera 11 and Venera 12 were identical spacecraft built for the same September 1978 launch window.

### Q: What rocket was used to launch the Venera 11 Descent Craft?
A: The lander was launched using a Proton-K carrier rocket, a standard Russian (formerly Soviet) launch vehicle.

## Why It Matters
The Venera 11 Descent Craft represents a specific era of planetary exploration characterized by paired, redundant missions. By utilizing identical spacecraft—Venera 11 and Venera 12—Soviet engineers aimed to maximize scientific returns and ensure mission success during the critical September 1978 Venus launch window. This approach allowed for simultaneous or near-simultaneous data collection from different points on the target body.

As a lander, the craft serves as a distinct example of early atmospheric entry and surface technology designed to withstand the conditions of an astronomical body. The mission relied on the proven capabilities of the Proton-K rocket, highlighting the infrastructure used to access interplanetary space from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The specific identifiers (COSPAR ID 1978-084D) ensure precise tracking and historical archiving of this object within the global space catalog.

## Notable For
- Being part of a mission strategy that deployed **identical spacecraft** (Venera 11 and Venera 12).
- Launching during the specific **September 1978 Venus launch window**.
- Utilizing the **Proton-K** carrier rocket for deployment.
- Being classified strictly as a **lander** intended for surface operations.
- Having a distinct administrative identity (COSPAR ID 1978-084D) separate from the flyby bus or parent craft.

## Body
### Mission Identity and Design
The Venera 11 Descent Craft is formally identified as an instance of a "lander," a class of spacecraft engineered to descend through an atmosphere and achieve a resting state on a planetary surface. It is recognized by the aliases "Venera 11 Lander" and "Venera11DescentCraft." The craft is a constituent part of the larger Venera 11 mission.

### Launch Details
The spacecraft launched successfully on **September 9, 1978**. The launch originated from the **Baikonur Cosmodrome**. To achieve the necessary trajectory for the Venus mission, the craft was mounted on a **Proton-K** carrier rocket. The Proton-K is noted in records as a Russian, previously Soviet, carrier rocket used for heavy lifting duties.

### Relation to Venera 12
Historical data emphasizes the design symmetry between this craft and its counterpart. Venera 11 and Venera 12 are described as identical spacecraft constructed specifically for the September 1978 launch window. This redundancy was a key feature of the mission architecture.

### Cataloging
The Venera 11 Descent Craft is cataloged in international space databases under the **COSPAR ID 1978-084D** and the **NSSDCA ID 1978-084D**.