The stations were launched on the Proton-K launch vehicle on 15 and 21 December 1984. The mission included a balloon probe for the first time to study an extraterrestrial atmosphere.
Vega-1 and Vega-2 reached Venus in 176-178 days. The probes measured the concentration of sulfuric acid in the clouds and detected chlorine and possibly phosphorus.
They transferred data by traveling approximately 10 thousand km for 46 hours at an altitude of 53-55 km.
In March 1986, the instruments approached the nucleus of Halley’s Comet from a distance of 8-9 thousand km and transmitted images and data on the composition of the comet dust.
Their work also helped the European Giotto instrument refine its orbit and move within 600 km of the nucleus. Communication with Vega-1 was lost in January 1987, and with Vega-2 in March of the same year.
The stations were launched on the Proton-K launch vehicle on 15 and 21 December 1984. The mission included a balloon probe for the first time to study an extraterrestrial atmosphere.
Vega-1 and Vega-2 reached Venus in 176-178 days. The probes measured the concentration of sulfuric acid in the clouds and detected chlorine and possibly phosphorus.
They transferred data by traveling approximately 10 thousand km for 46 hours at an altitude of 53-55 km.
In March 1986, the instruments approached the nucleus of Halley’s Comet from a distance of 8-9 thousand km and transmitted images and data on the composition of the comet dust.
Their work also helped the European Giotto instrument refine its orbit and move within 600 km of the nucleus. Communication with Vega-1 was lost in January 1987, and with Vega-2 in March of the same year.
Source: Ferra
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