Venera 6

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Venera 6

Venera 6
Mission type	Venus atmospheric probe
Operator	Lavochkin
COSPAR ID	1969-002A[1]
SATCAT no.	3648
Mission duration	Travel: 127 days Atmosphere: 51 minutes
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft	2V (V-69) No.331
Manufacturer	Lavochkin
Launch mass	1,130 kg (2,490 lb)[2]
Dry mass	410 kg (900 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date	January 10, 1969, 05:51:52 (1969-01-10UTC05:51:52Z) UTC[2]
Rocket	Molniya 8K78M
Launch site	Baikonur 1/5
End of mission
Last contact	May 17, 1969 (1969-05-18)
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Heliocentric
Perihelion altitude	0.71 AU
Aphelion altitude	0.98 AU
Inclination	2.0°
Period	285 days
Venus atmospheric probe
Atmospheric entry	May 17, 1969, 06:05 UT
Impact site	5°S 23°E / 5°S 23°E / -5; 23 (10–12 km altitude)
Venera ← Venera 5 Venera 7 →

Venera 6 (Russian: Венера-6 meaning Venus 6), or 2V (V-69) No.331, was a Soviet spacecraft, launched towards Venus to obtain atmospheric data. It had an on-orbit dry mass of 1,130 kg (2,490 lb).

The spacecraft was very similar to Venera 4 although it was of a stronger design. When the atmosphere of Venus was approached, a capsule with a mass of 405 kilograms (893 lb) was jettisoned from the main spacecraft. This capsule contained scientific instruments.

During descent towards the surface of Venus, a parachute opened to slow the rate of descent. For 51 minutes on May 17, 1969, while the capsule was suspended from the parachute, data from the Venusian atmosphere were returned. It landed at 5°S 23°E / 5°S 23°E / -5; 23.

The spacecraft also carried a medallion bearing the State Coat of Arms of the Soviet Union and a bas-relief of 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).