No man-made object has survived on Venus for more than 127 minutes. A Soviet spacecraft called Venera 13 lasted for 127 minutes when it arrived on the planet: it was eventually crushed by the enormous heat and pressure of the planet. Venus’ 470 degree Celsius temperature, sulphuric acid atmosphere, and overwhelming air pressure (90 times greater than our home planet’s) have left scientists with the challenge to develop technology to withstand such a harsh environment.
After a four-month journey to Venus, the spacecraft descended through the planet’s atmosphere, plunging through the clouds toward the surface. Venera 13 then popped a parachute and rode it all the way down.
Venera 13 touched down safely on March 1, 1982, in the southern hemisphere of Venus, on an area that the Lunar and Planetary Institute describes as “a typical expanse of Venusians’ plains.” The broad area around the landing site is known to contain lava flows and small dome volcanoes, which may indicate an active surface.
Picture Credit : Google