What were the physical dimensions and internal conditions of Venera 1?
Venera 1 stood as a cylindrical body topped by a dome, reaching a total height of 2.3 meters. Engineers pressurized the interior to 105 kilopascals using dry nitrogen.
Questions about Venera 1
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When did Soviet experts launch Venera 1 from Baikonur Cosmodrome?
Soviet experts launched Venera 1 at 00:34:36 GMT on the 12th of February 1961. The spacecraft entered a heliocentric orbit directed towards Venus after the upper stage fired.
Why did radio contact with Venera 1 fail before its flyby of Venus?
Soviet engineers believed that Venera 1 failed due to overheating of a solar-direction sensor. Radio contact with the probe was lost before the flyby occurred because it could not enter constant solar orientation mode.
How far did Venera 1 pass from Venus during its mission?
On the 19th of May 1961, Venera 1 passed within 100,000 kilometers of Venus. The spacecraft returned no data from its journey past Venus despite this close approach.
What scientific instruments were installed on Venera 1 to measure space conditions?
The probe carried scientific instruments including a flux-gate magnetometer attached to the antenna boom and two ion traps to measure solar wind intensity. Micrometeorite detectors and Geiger counter tubes monitored cosmic radiation levels throughout the flight.