- Venera 10
Infobox_Spacecraft
Name = Venera 10
Caption = Venera 10 orbiter
Organization =USSR
Major_Contractors =
Mission_Type = Orbiter and Lander
Satellite_Of =Venus
Orbital_Insertion_Date =October 23 ,1975
Launch =May 14 ,1975
Launch_Vehicle = Proton Booster Plus Upper Stage and Escape Stages
Decay =
Mission_Duration =
NSSDC_ID = 1975-054D
Webpage =
Mass = 2300 kg
Power =
Orbital_elements =
Semimajor_Axis =
Eccentricity = .8798
Inclination = 29.5°
Orbital_Period = 49.4 h
Apoapsis = 19.82 RV
Periapsis = 1.27 RV
Orbits =Venera 10 ( _ru. Венера-10) was a
USSR unmanned space mission to Venus. It consisted of an orbiter and a lander. It launched onJune 14 ,1975 03:00:31 UTC.Orbiter
The orbiter entered Venus orbit on
October 23 ,1975 . Its mission was to serve as a communications relay for the lander and to explore cloud layers and atmospheric parameters with several instruments and experiments:* 1.6-2.8 μm IR Spectrometer
* 8-28 μm IR Radiometer
* 352 nm UV Photometer
* 2 Photopolarimeters (335-800 nm)
* 300-800 nm Spectrometer
*. Lyman-α H/D Spectrometer
* Bistatic Radar Mapping
* CM, DM Radio Occultations
* Triaxial Magnetometer
* 345-380 nm UV Camera
* 355-445 nm Camera
* 6 Electrostatic Analyzers
* 2 ModulationIon Traps
* Low-EnergyProton / Alpha detector
* Low-EnergyElectron detector
* 3 Semiconductor Counters
* 2 Gas-Discharge Counters
* Cherenkov DetectorThe orbiter consisted of a cylinder with two solar panel wings and a high gain parabolic antenna attached to the curved surface. A bell-shaped unit holding propulsion systems was attached to the bottom of the cylinder, and mounted on top was a 2.4 meter sphere which held the landers.
Lander
, this spacecraft was separated from the Orbiter, and landing was made with the sun near zenith, at 0517 UT, on October 25.A system of circulating fluid was used to distribute the heat load. This system, plus precooling prior to entry, permitted operation of the spacecraft for 65 min after landing. During descent, heat dissipation and deceleration were accomplished sequentially by protective hemispheric shells, three parachutes, a disk-shaped drag brake, and a compressible, metal, doughnut-shaped, landing cushion.
Magellan orbiter
It landed 2200 km from Venera 9 (within a 150 km radius of Venus coords and quad cat|15.42|N|291.51|E), three days after its touchdown. Venera 10 measured a surface windspeed of 3.5 m/s. Other measurements included atmospheric pressure at various heights, and temperature, and surface light levels. Venera 10 was the second probe to send back black and white television pictures from the Venusian surface (after Venera 9). Venera 10 photographs showed
lava rocks of pancake shape with lava or other weathered rocks in between. Planned 360 degree panoramic pictures could not be taken because, as with Venera 9, one of two camera lens covers failed to come off, limiting pictures to 180 degrees.Image processing
Researcher
Don P. Mitchell recently rediscovered the original Venera imaging data. Using modern software he has been able to reproduce images with far greater clarity than the versions previously available. [ [http://www.mentallandscape.com/C_Catalog.htm Soviet Space Image Catalog ] ]References
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