NATIONAL : The Union Cabinet has approved the development of the Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM), which will be a significant step towards the Government’s vision of exploring and studying Venus beyond the moon and Mars. Venus, the closest planet to Earth and believed to have formed in conditions similar to Earth, offers a unique opportunity to understand how planetary environments can evolve very differently.

The ‘Venus Orbiter Mission’ to be accomplished by the Department of Space is envisaged to orbit a scientific spacecraft in the orbit of planet Venus for a better understanding of the Venusian surface and subsurface, atmospheric processes, and the influence of the Sun on the Venusian atmosphere. The study of the underlying causes of the 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, according to a government press release.

The government release also said that ISRO will be responsible for the development of the 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 the 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 the launch vehicle.