India Plans To Send Spacecraft To Venus In March 2028, Rs 1,236 Crore Approved By Cabinet For ISRO's Space Mission

After Moon and Mars, India is set to explore and study Venus as the Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM) got approval from the Union Cabinet on Wednesday (18 September) with a fund approval of Rs 1,236 crore.

Of this amount, Rs 824 crore will be spent on the spacecraft. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will be responsible for the development of the spacecraft and its launch. 

The cost includes the development and realisation of the spacecraft including its specific payloads and technology elements, global ground station support cost for navigation and network as well as the cost of the launch vehicle.

Department of Space has envisaged orbiting a scientific spacecraft in the orbit of planet Venus for a better understanding of the Venusian surface and subsurface, atmospheric processes and the influence of the Sun on Venusian atmosphere.

The mission is expected to be accomplished on the opportunity available during March 2028. The Indian Venus mission is expected to answer some of the outstanding scientific questions resulting in various scientific outcomes.

The realisation of the spacecraft and launch vehicle is through various industries and it is envisaged that there would be large employment potential and technology spin-off to other sectors of the economy.