The Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM), unofficially known as Shukrayaan (Sanskrit: Śukra 'Venus', Yāna 'Craft, Vehicle'), is a planned ISRO mission to study the surface and atmosphere of Venus. Funds were released in 2017 to complete preliminary studies, and solicitations for instruments were announced. The orbiter was expected to have a science payload capability of approximately 100 kilograms (220 lb) with 500 watt available power. The initial elliptical orbit around Venus is expected to be 500 km (310 mi) at periapsis & 60,000 km (37,000 mi) at apoapsis. On 18 September 2024, the mission was formally approved by the Indian government and the launch date was set to March 2028. On 1 October 2024, ISRO announced the launch date to be 29 March 2028, with a journey of 112 days, thereby reaching the Venusian orbit on 19 July 2028.
Objectives The three broad research areas of interest for this mission include surface/subsurface stratigraphy and re-surfacing processes; studying the atmospheric chemistry, dynamics and compositional variations, and studying solar irradiance and solar wind interaction with Venus's ionosphere. The mission may carry out research on Venus's active volcanic hotspots, lava flows and their patterns. The probe may reexamine claims of phosphine on Venus, as the findings are currently thought to be in error.
History
Initial concept Based on the success of Chandrayaan and the Mars Orbiter Mission, ISRO began studying the feasibility of interplanetary mission to Venus. A mission to Venus was first presented at Tirupati space meet in 2012. ISRO was authorized to complete preliminary studies. From 2016 to 2017, ISRO collaborated with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to study the Venus atmosphere using signals from the Akatsuki in a radio occultation experiment. In 2017, ISRO made an 'Announcement of Opportunity' (AO) seeking science payload proposals from Indian academia. In 2018, ISRO made another 'Announcement of Opportunity' inviting payload proposals from the international scientific community. The available science payload capacity with a science payload of 100 kg. ISRO and the French National Centre for Space Studies (CNES) held collaboration discussions in 2018, including the Venus mission and autonomous navigation and aerobraking technologies. French astrophysicist Jacques Blamont expressed interest to ISRO chairman Udupi Ramachandra Rao to use balloons to help study the Venusian atmosphere. Similar to the Vega missions, these instrumented balloons could be deployed from an orbiter and take prolonged observations while floating in the planet's relatively mild upper atmosphere. ISRO agreed to consider the proposal to use a balloon probe carrying a 10 kilograms (22 lb) payload to study the Venusian atmosphere at a 55 kilometres (34 mi) altitude. As of late 2018, the Venus mission was in the configuration study phase and ISRO had not sought the Indian government's full approval. Somak Raychaudhury, the director of Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), stated in 2019 that a drone-like probe was being considered. As of November 2020, ISRO had shortlisted 20 international proposals that include collaboration with institutions from Russia, France, Sweden and Germany. Mission could be launched no earlier than 2028, with an alternate launch window in 2031. S. Somanath, the chairman of ISRO, stated that engineers are aiming to lower the cost of some high-value components and that India's maiden mission to Venus is probably going to launch in 2028 while speaking with reporters during India International Science Festival 2024. Venus Orbiter Mission development, however, will take longer than expected because Gaganyaan project has taken precedence. During an interview to Asian News International on 28 September 2024, Jan Thesleff, the Swedish ambassador to India, reaffirmed that ISRO and the Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) are working together on the Venus Orbiter Mission.
Cabinet approval The Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM), which is intended to insert a spacecraft in the orbit of planet Venus for a better understanding of its surface, subsurface, atmospheric processes, and influence of Sun on its atmosphere, was approved by the Union Cabinet on September 18, 2024, under the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Understanding the fundamental processes that have transformed Venus—which is thought to have once been habitable and very comparable to Earth—will be crucial to comprehending the development of Earth and Venus, the sister planets. A total of ₹1,236 crore (US$130 million) has been sanctioned for the Venus Orbiter Mission, of which ₹824 crore (US$86 million) would go towards the spacecraft. On 1 October 2024, ISRO announced the dates of the mission. The launch date was set to 29 March 2028. The spacecraft will journey towards Venus for 112 days, thus reaching the Venusian orbit on 19 July 2028. The Venusian atmospheric insertion date is yet to be announced. ISRO issued a further call for potential research using the instruments to be conducted by the spacecraft in late-September 2025. A National Level Science meet was held in Delhi the following october to debate on the research strategies for the mission.
Spacecraft development The preliminary design report was conducted for the VOM mission was completed for the spacecraft by April 2026.
Science payload The 100 kg (220 lb) science payload would consist of instruments from India and other countries. As of October 1, 2024, 16 Indian payloads, 2 collaborative payloads and an international payload had been manifested for the spacecraft. Renders of the probe by URSC have also included an atmospheric probe/aerobot balloon.
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