# Venera 4

> Soviet Venus space probe

**Wikidata**: [Q719613](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q719613)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venera_4)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/venera-4

## Summary
Venera 4 was a Soviet space probe launched in 1967 to study Venus. It was the first spacecraft to successfully transmit data from another planet's atmosphere, providing crucial information about Venus's composition and conditions.

## Key Facts
- Launched on June 12, 1967, from Baikonur Cosmodrome using a Molniya-M rocket
- Mass was 1,106 kg at takeoff and 377 kg dry weight
- Reached Venus on October 18, 1967, where it transmitted data from the atmosphere before impact
- Operated by NPO Lavochkin for the Soviet space program
- Part of the Venera series of Soviet Venus exploration missions
- Had an orbital period of 293 days and an orbital inclination of 4.3 degrees
- Its COSPAR ID was 1967-058A and NSSDCA ID was 1967-058A

### Q: What was Venera 4's mission?
A: Venera 4 was designed to study Venus's atmosphere and transmit data back to Earth. It successfully entered Venus's atmosphere on October 18, 1967, and transmitted information about temperature, pressure, and atmospheric composition before being destroyed by the planet's harsh conditions.

### Q: Where was Venera 4 launched from?
A: Venera 4 was launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, specifically from Gagarin's Start launch pad, on June 12, 1967, at 02:40 UTC.

### Q: What happened to Venera 4 after it reached Venus?
A: After entering Venus's atmosphere, Venera 4 transmitted data for about 93 minutes before losing signal at 04:34 UTC. It then made a hard landing on Venus's surface, where it was destroyed by the extreme conditions.

## Why It Matters
Venera 4 represented a major milestone in space exploration as the first successful probe to transmit data from another planet's atmosphere. Its mission provided humanity with its first direct measurements of Venus's atmospheric conditions, revealing a dense carbon dioxide atmosphere with extreme temperatures and pressures. This information fundamentally changed our understanding of Venus and helped establish the Soviet Union as a leader in planetary exploration during the Space Race era. The data collected by Venera 4 also contributed to the development of future Venus missions and planetary science in general, demonstrating the feasibility of atmospheric entry and data transmission from other worlds.

## Notable For
- First spacecraft to successfully transmit data from another planet's atmosphere
- Provided the first direct measurements of Venus's atmospheric composition and conditions
- Demonstrated Soviet technological capabilities in planetary exploration
- Paved the way for future Venus missions and atmospheric entry techniques
- Part of the pioneering Venera series that explored Venus extensively

## Body
### Technical Specifications
Venera 4 was a sophisticated space probe weighing 1,106 kg at launch, with a dry weight of 377 kg. The spacecraft was designed and manufactured by NPO Lavochkin, a prominent Soviet aerospace company. It was launched aboard a Molniya-M rocket, a reliable Soviet launcher that had been used for numerous space missions.

### Mission Profile
The probe was launched on June 12, 1967, at 02:40 UTC from Gagarin's Start at Baikonur Cosmodrome. After a journey of approximately 4 months, it reached Venus on October 18, 1967. The spacecraft entered Venus's atmosphere and began transmitting data at 04:34 UTC, continuing for about 93 minutes before signal loss.

### Scientific Achievements
During its descent through Venus's atmosphere, Venera 4 transmitted valuable data about temperature, pressure, and atmospheric composition. The probe discovered that Venus's atmosphere was primarily composed of carbon dioxide and that surface conditions were far more extreme than previously theorized, with temperatures hot enough to melt lead and pressures 90 times that of Earth's surface.

### Legacy
Venera 4's successful mission demonstrated the Soviet Union's growing capabilities in planetary exploration and contributed significantly to our understanding of Venus. The data it collected helped scientists better understand planetary atmospheres and the conditions on other worlds, influencing the design of future space probes and planetary missions.

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "Venera 4",
  "description": "Soviet Venus space probe launched in 1967 to study Venus's atmosphere",
  "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venera_4",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q328",
    "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venera_4"
  ],
  "additionalType": "Space Probe"
}

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. [Source](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1967-058A)
4. BabelNet