# Venera 9

> 1975 Soviet uncrewed space mission to Venus

**Wikidata**: [Q728292](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q728292)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venera_9)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/venera-9

Here’s the structured knowledge entry for **Venera 9** based on the provided source material:

---

## Summary  
Venera 9 was a 1975 Soviet uncrewed space mission to Venus, consisting of an orbiter and a lander. It was the first spacecraft to transmit images from the surface of Venus and successfully enter orbit around the planet. The mission provided critical data about Venus's atmosphere, surface conditions, and composition.

## Key Facts  
- **Launch Date:** June 8, 1975, from Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 81/24.  
- **Launch Vehicle:** Proton-K (serial number 286-01).  
- **Mass:** 4,936 kg (launch weight), 1,560 kg (landing weight), 660 kg (payload).  
- **Landing Date:** October 22, 1975, on Venus.  
- **Orbital Parameters:** Apoapsis 118,072 km, periapsis 7,625 km, orbital period 48.3 hours, inclination 29.5°, eccentricity 0.89002.  
- **Manufacturer:** NPO Lavochkin.  
- **Design:** Part of the 4MV class of Soviet space probes.  
- **Instruments:** Infrared spectrometer, radiometer, photometer, polarimeter, magnetometer, camera, electrostatic analyzer, ion trap, and Cherenkov detector.  
- **Mission End:** Loss of signal on March 22, 1976.  

## FAQs  
### Q: What did Venera 9 discover about Venus?  
A: Venera 9 transmitted the first images of Venus's surface and collected data on its atmosphere, temperature, and pressure, confirming extreme surface conditions (high temperature and pressure).  

### Q: How long did Venera 9 operate on Venus?  
A: The lander operated for about 53 minutes on the surface before succumbing to Venus's harsh environment. The orbiter continued transmitting data until March 1976.  

### Q: What was unique about Venera 9's mission?  
A: It was the first spacecraft to enter orbit around Venus and the first to send back images from its surface, marking a major milestone in planetary exploration.  

## Why It Matters  
Venera 9 was a groundbreaking mission in planetary science, providing humanity's first direct look at Venus's surface and advancing our understanding of its hostile environment. The orbiter and lander design paved the way for future missions to Venus and other planets. By confirming the planet's extreme surface conditions (temperatures around 465°C and pressures 90 times Earth's), Venera 9 helped scientists model planetary atmospheres and assess the feasibility of future landings. Its success demonstrated the USSR's leadership in space exploration during the Cold War and laid the foundation for subsequent missions like Venera 10.  

## Notable For  
- **First images from Venus's surface:** Transmitted black-and-white panoramas of rocky terrain.  
- **Dual mission:** Combined orbiter and lander, a first for Venus exploration.  
- **Longest-surviving lander:** Operated for 53 minutes, a record at the time.  
- **Advanced instrumentation:** Included a suite of scientific tools to analyze Venus's atmosphere and surface.  

## Body  
### Mission Overview  
- Launched on June 8, 1975, aboard a Proton-K rocket.  
- Entered Venus orbit on October 20, 1975; lander touched down on October 22.  

### Technical Specifications  
- **Orbiter:** Studied Venus's atmosphere and solar wind interactions.  
- **Lander:** Equipped with a camera, atmospheric sensors, and surface analyzers.  
- **Power:** Solar panels for the orbiter; batteries for the lander.  

### Scientific Contributions  
- Confirmed Venus's thick, CO₂-rich atmosphere and high surface pressure.  
- Measured wind speeds and cloud composition.  
- Provided data on solar radiation and magnetic fields.  

### Legacy  
- Directly influenced the design of later Venera missions (e.g., Venera 10).  
- Demonstrated the viability of landing on and studying extreme planetary environments.  

## Schema Markup  
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  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "Venera 9",
  "description": "1975 Soviet uncrewed space mission to Venus, comprising an orbiter and lander.",
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## References

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