COSPAR ID 1969-001A Spacecraft 2V (V-69) No.330 Mission duration 4.3 months Launch mass 1,130 kg Rocket Molniya-M Launch site Baikonur Cosmodrome | SATCAT no. 3642 Manufacturer Lavochkin Dry mass 410 kg Start date January 5, 1969 Operator Lavochkin | |
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Mission type Venus atmospheric probe Launch date January 5, 1969, 06:28:08 (1969-01-05UTC06:28:08Z) UTC | ||
Venera 5 (Russian: Венера-5 meaning Venus 5) (manufacturer's designation: 2V (V-69)) was a space probe in the Soviet space program Venera for the exploration of Venus.
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Venera 5 was launched towards Venus to obtain atmospheric data. The spacecraft was very similar to Venera 4 although it was of a stronger design. The launch was conducted using a Molniya-M rocket, flying from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.
When the atmosphere of Venus was approached, a capsule weighing 405 kg and containing scientific instruments was jettisoned from the main spacecraft. During satellite descent towards the surface of Venus, a parachute opened to slow the rate of descent. For 53 minutes on May 16, 1969, while the capsule was suspended from the parachute, data from the Venusian atmosphere were returned. It landed at 3°S 18°E. The spacecraft also carried a medallion bearing the State Coat of Arms of the USSR and a bas-relief of V. I. Lenin to the night side of Venus.
Given the results from Venera 4, the Venera 5 and Venera 6 landers contained new chemical analysis experiments tuned to provide more precise measurements of the atmosphere's components. Knowing the atmosphere was extremely dense, the parachutes were also made smaller so the capsule would reach its full crush depth before running out of power (as Venera 4 had done).