| LAUNCH |
FROM |
NAME |
INTENTION |
RESULT |
| 1961 Feb 4 |
USSR |
1VA - 1 |
impact |
Stranded in Earth orbit |
| 1961 Feb 12 |
USSR |
Venera 1 |
impact |
Lost when attitude control sensor overheated |
| 1962 Jul 22 |
USA |
Mariner 1 |
flyby |
Lost and splashed in North Atlantic |
| 1962 Aug 25 |
USSR |
2MV-1 - 1 |
landing |
Stranded in Earth orbit |
| 1962 Aug 27 |
USA |
Mariner 2 |
flyby |
First successful planetary mission found Venus has small magnetic field |
| 1962 Sep 1 |
USSR |
2MV-1 - 2 |
landing |
Stranded in Earth orbit |
| 1962 Sep 12 |
USSR |
2MV-2 - 1 |
photo flyby |
Stranded in Earth orbit |
| 1964 Mar 27 |
USSR |
3MV-1 - 5 |
landing |
Stranded in Earth orbit |
| 1964 Apr 2 |
USSR |
Zond 1 |
landing |
Pressure loss and corona discharge |
| 1965 Nov 12 |
USSR |
Venera 2 |
flyby |
Thermal control failure |
| 1965 Nov 16 |
USSR |
Venera 3 |
landing |
First impact on another planet. Thermal failure |
| 1965 Nov 23 |
USSR |
3MV-4 - 6 |
flyby |
Exploded in Earth orbit |
| 1967 Jun 12 |
USSR |
Venera 4 |
landing |
First planetary atmosphere probe, crushed at an attitude of about 16 miles |
| 1967 Jun 14 |
USA |
Mariner 5 |
flyby |
Fly-by, radio occultation |
| 1967 Jun 17 |
USSR |
V-67 - 2 |
landing |
Stranded in Earth orbit |
| 1969 Jan 5 |
USSR |
Venera 5 |
landing |
Successful, crushed at an altitude of about 11 miles |
| 1969 Jan 10 |
USSR |
Venera 6 |
landing |
Successful, crushed at an altitude of about 11 miles |
| 1970 Aug 17 |
USSR |
Venera 7 |
landing |
First successful planetary landing |
| 1970 Aug 22 |
USSR |
V-70 - |
landing |
Stranded in Earth orbit |
| 1972 Mar 27 |
USSR |
Venera 8 |
landing |
Measured surface illumination |
| 1972 Mar 31 |
USSR |
3V |
landing |
Stranded in Earth orbit |
| 1973 Nov 3 |
USA |
Mariner 10 |
photo flyby |
First good pictures of Venus followed by gravity assist to Mercury |
| 1975 Jun 8 |
USSR |
Venera 9 |
orbit and landing |
First pictures of the surface of Venus, 4-month orbital photo study of clouds |
| 1975 Jun 14 |
USSR |
Venera 10 |
orbit and landing |
Same as Venera 9, one of two cameras failed on each lander |
| 1978 May 20 |
USA |
Pioneer 12 |
orbit |
Radar mapping, photo study of clouds, operated 14 years |
| 1978 Aug 8 |
USA |
Pioneer 13 |
impact |
Cluster of 5 atmosphere probes |
| 1978 Sep 9 |
USSR |
Venera 11 |
flyby and landing |
Spectra from clouds to surface, atmosphere chemical analysis |
| 1978 Sep 14 |
USSR |
Venera 12 |
flyby and landing |
Both color cameras, rock analysis, failed on both Venera 11 and 12 |
| 1981 Oct 30 |
USSR |
Venera 13 |
flyby and landing |
Color images and rock analysis |
| 1981 Nov 4 |
USSR |
Venera 14 |
flyby and landing |
Color images and rock analysis |
| 1983 Jun 2 |
USSR |
Venera 15 |
orbit |
High resolution radar mapping |
| 1983 Jun 7 |
USSR |
Venera 16 |
orbit |
High resolution radar mapping |
| 1984 Dec 15 |
USSR |
Vega 1 |
flyby and landing |
Night landing of a balloon probe dropped enroute to Halley's comet encounter |
| 1984 Dec 21 |
USSR |
Vega 2 |
flyby and landing |
Same as Vega 1 |
| 1989 May 4 |
USA |
Magellan |
orbit |
High resolution radar mapping |
| 1989 Oct 18 |
USA |
Galileo |
flyby |
Images of Venus then gravity assist to Jupiter |
| 1997 Oct 15 |
USA |
Cassini |
flyby |
Images of Venus and then gravity assist to Saturn |