Venera 5

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Venera 5

Seal of Venera 5
Mission type	Venus atmospheric probe
Operator	Lavochkin
COSPAR ID	1969-001A
SATCAT no.	3642
Mission duration	Travel: 131 days Atmosphere: 53 minutes
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft	2V (V-69) No. 330
Manufacturer	Lavochkin
Launch mass	1,130 kg (2,490 lb)[1]
Dry mass	410 kg (900 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date	5 January 1969, 06:28:08 (1969-01-05UTC06:28:08Z) UTC [1]
Rocket	Molniya 8K78M
Launch site	Baikonur 1/5
End of mission
Last contact	16 May 1969 (1969-05-17), 06:54 UTC
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Heliocentric
Perihelion altitude	0.72 AU
Aphelion altitude	0.98 AU
Inclination	2.0°
Period	286 days
Venus atmospheric probe
Atmospheric entry	16 May 1969, 06:01 UTC
Impact site	3°S 18°E / 3°S 18°E / -3; 18 (24–26 km altitude)
Venera ← Kosmos 167 Venera 6 →

Venera 5 (Russian: Венера-5 meaning Venus 5) was a space probe in the Soviet space program Venera for the exploration of Venus.

Venera 5 was launched towards Venus to obtain atmospheric data. The spacecraft was very similar to Venera 4 although it was of a stronger design. The launch was conducted using a Molniya-M rocket, flying from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

When the atmosphere of Venus was approached, a capsule weighing 405 kg (893 lb) and containing scientific instruments was jettisoned from the main spacecraft. During satellite descent towards the surface of Venus, a parachute opened to slow the rate of descent. For 53 minutes on 16 May 1969, while the capsule was suspended from the parachute, data from the Venusian atmosphere were returned.^[2] It landed at 3°S 18°E / 3°S 18°E / -3; 18. 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).