# Venera 2MV-1 No.1

> Soviet spacecraft launched 1962

**Wikidata**: [Q1579612](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1579612)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venera_2MV-1_No.1)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/venera-2mv-1-no-1

## Summary
Venera 2MV-1 No.1 was a Soviet spacecraft launched in 1962 as part of the early Venera program, designed to explore Venus. It was the first Soviet probe to reach Venus, marking a significant milestone in space exploration.

## Key Facts
- **Launch Date**: August 25, 1962
- **Launch Vehicle**: Molniya rocket
- **Launch Site**: Baikonur Cosmodrome (Gagarin's Start)
- **Destination**: Venus
- **Landing Date**: August 28, 1962
- **Orbital Period**: 88.7 minutes
- **Orbital Inclination**: 64.9 degrees
- **Orbital Eccentricity**: 0.00403
- **Apoapsis**: 221 kilometers
- **Periapsis**: 168 kilometers
- **Class**: 2MV (part of the Venera program)
- **Significant Event**: First Soviet landing attempt on Venus

## FAQs
### Q: What was the purpose of Venera 2MV-1 No.1?
A: The spacecraft was designed to study Venus, including its atmosphere and surface conditions, as part of the Soviet Venera program.

### Q: How did Venera 2MV-1 No.1 differ from later Venera missions?
A: It was an early prototype, lacking the advanced instruments and survival mechanisms of later missions, making it less successful in its primary objectives.

### Q: What was the outcome of the Venera 2MV-1 No.1 mission?
A: The spacecraft successfully reached Venus but failed to transmit data from the surface, as it was destroyed by Venus's extreme atmospheric conditions.

### Q: Who launched Venera 2MV-1 No.1?
A: The Soviet Union launched the spacecraft using a Molniya rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

### Q: What was the significance of Venera 2MV-1 No.1 in space exploration?
A: It was the first Soviet probe to reach Venus, paving the way for future missions in the Venera program.

## Why It Matters
Venera 2MV-1 No.1 was a pioneering mission in the Soviet Venera program, marking the first attempt by the USSR to explore Venus. Launched on August 25, 1962, the spacecraft was designed to study the planet's atmosphere and surface, contributing to early efforts in planetary exploration. Despite its early stage in the program, the mission laid the groundwork for more advanced Venus probes. The spacecraft reached Venus on August 28, 1962, but its instruments were destroyed by the planet's harsh environment, preventing the transmission of surface data. This mission, though limited in success, was a crucial step in understanding Venus and demonstrated the Soviet Union's growing capabilities in space exploration.

## Notable For
- **First Soviet Venus Probe**: Venera 2MV-1 No.1 was the first spacecraft launched by the USSR to reach Venus.
- **Early Venera Program**: It represented an early attempt in the Soviet Venera program, focusing on atmospheric and surface studies.
- **Limited Success**: The mission failed to transmit data from Venus's surface due to extreme atmospheric conditions.
- **Pioneering Technology**: The spacecraft utilized the 2MV design, which was later refined for more successful missions.
- **Molniya Launch**: It was launched using the Molniya rocket, a significant Soviet space launch vehicle of the era.

## Body
### Mission Overview
Venera 2MV-1 No.1 was launched on August 25, 1962, as part of the Soviet Venera program, which aimed to explore Venus. The spacecraft was designed to study the planet's atmosphere and surface conditions, contributing to early efforts in planetary exploration.

### Launch and Trajectory
The spacecraft was launched using a Molniya rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, specifically from Gagarin's Start. It reached Venus on August 28, 1962, but its instruments were destroyed by the planet's extreme atmospheric conditions, preventing the transmission of surface data.

### Orbital Characteristics
- **Orbital Period**: 88.7 minutes
- **Orbital Inclination**: 64.9 degrees
- **Orbital Eccentricity**: 0.00403
- **Apoapsis**: 221 kilometers
- **Periapsis**: 168 kilometers

### Significance
Venera 2MV-1 No.1 was a significant milestone in the Soviet Venera program, marking the first attempt by the USSR to explore Venus. Despite its limited success, the mission laid the groundwork for future Venus probes and demonstrated the Soviet Union's growing capabilities in space exploration.

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013