Venera 3

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Venera 3
Venera-3
Organization	USSR
Mission type	Lander
Satellite of	Venus
Orbital insertion date	Landed on March 1, 1966
Launch date	November 16, 1965 at 04:19 UTC
Launch vehicle	Tyazheliy Sputnik (65-092B)
Mission duration	November 16, 1965 to March 1, 1966
NSSDC ID	1965-092A
Mass	960 kg

Venera 3 (Russian:Венера-3) was a Venera program space probe that was built and launched by the Soviet Union to explore the surface of Venus. It was launched on November 16, 1965 at 04:19 UTC from Baikonur, Kazakhstan.

The mission of this spacecraft was to land on the Venusian surface. The entry body contained a radio communication system, scientific instruments, electrical power sources, and medallions bearing the State Coat of Arms of the U.S.S.R.

The probe crash-landed on Venus on March 1, 1966 becoming the first spacecraft to land on another planet's surface. It impacted on the night side of Venus, near the terminator, probably around -20º to 20º N, 60º to 80º E. However, its communications systems failed before it could return any information about the planet.

[edit] See also

• Timeline of planetary exploration

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Venera 3

v • d • e Venera programme 1VA • Venera 1 • Sputnik 19 • Sputnik 20 • Sputnik 21 • Cosmos 21 • Venera 1964A • Venera 1964B • Cosmos 27 • Venera 2 • Venera 3 • Cosmos 96 • Venera 1965A • Venera 4 • Cosmos 167 • Venera 5 • Venera 6 • Venera 7 • Cosmos 359 • Venera 8 • Cosmos 482 • Venera 9 • Venera 10 • Venera 11 • Venera 12 • Venera 13 • Venera 14 • Venera 15 • Venera 16 • Venera-D