Space probe on surface of Venus

Press, 9 March 1982, Page 5

Space probe on surface of Venus

NZPA-Reuter Moscow A Soviet space probe which landed on Venus has established that the surface of the planet is dark brown, 'said the official news agency, Tass. ' , ' ■ It said the craft, Venus-13,' had been able to transmit high quality colour pictures before it burned up more than two hours after setting down on the scorching surface. The craft had . landed in a sandy and rocky area, and sent back picture signals which were being assembled into a composite view of its surroundings. Tass said-it would be some time before this work was done, but scientists had already deduced that the rocks and surrounding landscape were all dark brown.. Venus is shrouded in fastmoving yellow cloud, which has hindered examination of the planet’s Surface from

'orbiting spacecraft. .. 5 • The craft also made other tests on the surface of the planet, Tass said. These included analysing rock samples and hammering a metal probe into the ground to test the strength of the rocks and measure electricity. A drill extended 'from the craft first dug out a small sample rock and this was then sucked on board. The rock was cooled and examined to establish its chemical composition, while gases drawn in with the sample were also analysed, Tass said. Soviet technology for collecting rock samples was developed on earlier trips to the moon, but the report said the task had been much more difficult on Venus because the surface temperature was more than 500 deg Celsius (900 Fahrenheit) and gravity was several times greater than on Earth.