Indian mission to Venus, - proposed! Options

[Ohsin]

https://presse.cnes.fr/en/france-india-spac...ace-exploration

In the domain of space exploration, France will be taking part in ISRO’s mission to Venus, scheduled to launch in 2025. The VIRAL instrument (Venus Infrared Atmospheric Gases Linker) co-developed with the Russian federal space agency Roscosmos and the LATMOS atmospheres, environments and space observations laboratory attached to the French national scientific research centre CNRS has been selected by ISRO after a request for proposals. CNES will coordinate and prepare the French contribution, the first time a French payload will be flown on an Indian exploration mission.

[Ohsin]

The expected freeze of spacecraft configuration and instruments will be in three to six months.

https://twitter.com/uncertainquark/status/1...203176974864384

[Ohsin]

https://spacenews.com/indias-shukrayaan-orb...unches-in-2024/

...pandemic-related delays have pushed Shukrayaan’s target launch date to December 2024 with a mid-2026 backup date

A launch vehicle decision, she said, is expected by the time ISRO freezes the mission’s configuration and final set of instruments in the next three to six months.

[Ohsin]

One-day National Meet on Venusian Science (4 May 2022)

Theme: Outstanding Scientific Problems on Venus: Need for Space-based Studies

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUp6DplyPJk

Programme schedule attached.

[dtolman]

They are still targeting a December 2024 launch date - very exciting to see a decade of Venusian exploration kicking off soon with Rocketlab saying in the past few months that they are still going for a 2023 launch date, with a 2 pound payload (that they have started working on)

[Ohsin]

In all likelihood this has been delayed to 2031.

We were expecting that as Indian Govt. hasn't approved the project still and dV budget makes it doable in 2031 after Dec 2024 window. It appears focus on human spaceflight is claiming science missions..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyo8y8eQ3js (@42m02s)

Right now we are just waiting for formal approval. We need money and we need to get priority. So we are waiting, otherwise all set to go. We were originally scheduled for 23 but opportunity for Venus comes roughly every 19 months or so and lift-off mass is typical so right now 31 window is good, is very good. Europe is going 31, Americans are going 31, China might go anytime 26, 27 whenever they want to go.

A news report on same.

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/i...cle66382110.ece

[dtolman]

That's a shame - a late 2024 launch would have given the Indian Space program the spotlight for half a decade until the ESA and US got there.
At least Rocketlab's private Venus mission is still on the calendar for May this year.

[Ohsin]

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2055982

Cabinet approves mission to Venus for scientific exploration and for better understanding of Venusian atmosphere, geology and generate large amount of science data probing into its thick atmosphere

The ‘Venus Orbiter Mission’ to be accomplished by Department of Space is envisaged to orbit a scientific spacecraft in the orbit of planet Venus for better understanding of the Venusian surface and subsurface, atmospheric processes and influence of Sun on Venusian atmosphere. The study of the underlying causes of transformation of Venus, which is believed to be once habitable and quite similar to Earth would be an invaluable aid in understanding the evolution of the sister planets, both Venus and Earth.

ISRO will be responsible for the development of spacecraft and its launch. The Project will be effectively managed and monitored through the established practices prevailing at ISRO. The data generated from the mission would be disseminated to the scientific community through existing mechanisms

The mission is expected to be accomplished on the opportunity available during March 2028. The Indian Venus mission is expected to answer some of the outstanding scientific questions resulting in various scientific outcomes. The realization of the spacecraft and launch vehicle is through various industries and it is envisaged that there would be large employment potential and technology spin-off to other sectors of the economy.

The total fund approved for the Venus Orbiter Mission” (VOM), is Rs.1236 Cr out of which Rs 824.00 Crore will be spent on the spacecraft. The cost includes development and realization of the spacecraft including its specific payloads and technology elements, global ground station support cost for navigation and network as well as the cost of launch vehicle.

Edit: LVM3 is expected to the ride with additional PAM-G stage according to an old presentation.