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Discover this one weird trick this guy used to board a spacecraft heading for Venus!

Including landers, returning pics from the surface. http://mentallandscape.com/V_V...

One mistake in the explanation text : Mars and Titans are not the only bodies whose surfaces we have pictures of: there is also Venus. The Russians sent a number of probes there, which took a number of pictures :

http://www.mentallandscape.com/c_catalogvenus.htm

Yes, they did and, yes, they (and we) did.

It seems you never saw the cool (or should I say hot) pictures taken by the Soviet landers on Venus, so here you go.
But yeah, it's extremely hostile. Curiosity most probably wouldn't make it to the surface.

You neglected to link to the website that finally really polished the few images the russians transmitted: images from venus

Here, have some Sputnik.

Do you have links to anything that documents Jupiter and Venus being out of chemical equilibria? I searched for a while, but couldn't find much more than a few lines, and I'd be very interested to know more.

For Venus, you have to look at the Soviet literature, as they did most of the exploration, and much of that is not on-line. See, e.g., Volkov, 1991. There is an interesting "tri-modal" distribution of cloud droplet diameters, and Iron, Phosphorus, Sulphur and Chorline have all been detected at altitude.

For Jupiter, look at any of the color images returned by spacecraft. All those different colors are different materials, probably polysufides, although AFAIK there is no consensus as to exactly which material makes each color. Whatever makes the colors, it must be operational on a grand scale, as the colors are consistent over at least a century, and the residence times in the visible layers of the atmosphere are much shorter than that. Perhaps the best evidence is the change in the color of Oval BA, where in less than a year a storm complex the size of the Earth significantly reddened with nothing else apparently changing. The authors of the above paper postulate an unobservable change in global temperature but, who knows, maybe there is a biosystem that thrives in and colonizes the large storms, and the reddening is byproduct of that. That at least has the advantage of being testable (by seeing if the reddening is a general, but delayed, feature of new mega storm systems).

Now, none of this is proof of anything biological on Jupiter, but if you want to take the opposite viewpoint, the Jupiter biosphere could be immense (comparable to or larger than the mass of the Earth), and still be consistent with our available data. For Venus, a biosphere could be a remnant from the age before the run-away Greenhouse, and could easily be comparable in mass to the maximum biosphere that currently could be active on Mars. Neither has gotten much spacecraft attention; I guess bugs in the air aren't as sexy as bugs in the permafrost.

That's a lens cap. On Venera 14 the soil probe actually came down on top of the lens cap, ruining the measurements. You can see that here if you enlarge the left image for V. 14.

This is all well known, and I assume that the scientist was talking about something else. If not, he deserves ridicule.

The French-Soviet Vega balloons transmitted about 46 hours, until the battery power went out.

I see no reason why, with a little reserve gas, a trapped gas balloon couldn't be kept aloft for months.

Here are the pictures. Now, they are an extraordinary accomplishment, but I sure don't see any signs of life (except for the bits ejected from the spacecraft, like the camera covers). You can look (and judge) for yourself.

Some better pictures of the Venusian Lens Cap Monster

And here too.

Er, sorry. Try this newer page:

http://www.mentallandscape.com/C_CatalogVenus.htm

See this site for the best processed pictures from the Venera missions. Absolutely fascinating stuff those Russians did then.

http://www.mentallandscape.com/V_DigitalImages.htm

And who knows how much of nice material neglected, forgotten, lost...

Some of those are quite nice; but I guess if people remember anything, it's virtually only Apollo-era photos shot with medium-format Hasselblad cameras. Quick search also gave eerie Phobos pictures. And Soviets knew how to make a good camera, Zenit line was quite nice.

Venus is 425 C (or so), and these are rated up to 900 C, so they absolutely should work on Venus.

Of course, this is not new. From a description of the Soviet Venera landers :

"By the time of Venera-13 and 14, a surprising amount of complex equipment was simply installed outside the pressure hull, exposed to the intensely hostile surface conditions. By this time, Soviet engineers had developed new heat-resistant materials and electronics that were comfortable in this working environment."

Science reporting at its best. I especially liked this quote:

The only way to glimpse what lies beneath its opaque clouds is by radar, and several missions have carried our radar surveys from orbit, principally the Magellan probe which operated from 1990 to 1994.

It's not like we have pictures from the surface of Venus or anything...

That goes for your post as well. While Venus is a fascinating planet in many ways, and I too would like to see more probes sent to it, your post comes across as crackpottery:

Even if all these probes can tell us is how blisteringly hot it is, that's got to tell us *something* about the environment. Venus sounds like a metal-ore refinery, and I'd love for someone to decide that it's worth a few (hundred) billion bucks to go get some of that Unobtanium (or whatever) and bring it back to Earth.

The Soviet Phobos-2 mission returned some cool pictures before its computer failed. I especially like the ones with Mars in the background.

One amateur reprocessed images from Soviet Venus landers and brought out some amazing detail, finding landscape features that weren't spotted before. It's simply the case that sometimes amateurs are simply motivated to spend the necessary time and attention to detail more so than "professionals", who normally have full in-boxes. Amateurs can decide to be as anal as they want. Call it open-source astronomy.

Thanks! I looked it up, and if you are referring to Don Mitchell's story, it is indeed well worth reading. http://www.mentallandscape.com/C_CatalogVenus.htm

Even better, the re-processing pipeline for each of the Venera mission datasets is explained in great detail. For instance, about the Venera-9 mission images (from http://www.mentallandscape.com/V_DigitalImages.htm:

The upper image is the raw 6-bit telemetry, about 115 by 512 pixels. Automatic gain control and logarithmic quantization were used to handle the unknown dynamic range of illumination. Previously published images from these probes suffered from severe analog generation loss, so it is fortunate that the original data was found. The raw image was converted to optical density according to Russian calibration data, then to linear radiance for image processing. It was interpolated with windowed sinc filter to avoid post-aliasing (a "pixilated" appearance), and the modulation transfer function ("aperture") of the camera was corrected with a 1 + 0.2*frequency**2 emphasis. This was then written out as 8-bit gamma-corrected values, using the sRGB standard gamma of 2.2. Some of the telemetry bars on the right were replaced with data from the 124 panorama. The bottom image is digitally in-painted, using Bertalmio's isophote-flow algorithm, to fill in missing data.

... and for a BBC coverage of the story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3387895.stm

One amateur reprocessed images from Soviet Venus landers and brought out some amazing detail, finding landscape features that weren't spotted before. It's simply the case that sometimes amateurs are simply motivated to spend the necessary time and attention to detail more so than "professionals", who normally have full in-boxes. Amateurs can decide to be as anal as they want. Call it open-source astronomy.

Thanks! I looked it up, and if you are referring to Don Mitchell's story, it is indeed well worth reading. http://www.mentallandscape.com/C_CatalogVenus.htm

Even better, the re-processing pipeline for each of the Venera mission datasets is explained in great detail. For instance, about the Venera-9 mission images (from http://www.mentallandscape.com/V_DigitalImages.htm:

The upper image is the raw 6-bit telemetry, about 115 by 512 pixels. Automatic gain control and logarithmic quantization were used to handle the unknown dynamic range of illumination. Previously published images from these probes suffered from severe analog generation loss, so it is fortunate that the original data was found. The raw image was converted to optical density according to Russian calibration data, then to linear radiance for image processing. It was interpolated with windowed sinc filter to avoid post-aliasing (a "pixilated" appearance), and the modulation transfer function ("aperture") of the camera was corrected with a 1 + 0.2*frequency**2 emphasis. This was then written out as 8-bit gamma-corrected values, using the sRGB standard gamma of 2.2. Some of the telemetry bars on the right were replaced with data from the 124 panorama. The bottom image is digitally in-painted, using Bertalmio's isophote-flow algorithm, to fill in missing data.

... and for a BBC coverage of the story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3387895.stm

One amateur reprocessed images from Soviet Venus landers and brought out some amazing detail, finding landscape features that weren't spotted before. It's simply the case that sometimes amateurs are simply motivated to spend the necessary time and attention to detail more so than "professionals", who normally have full in-boxes. Amateurs can decide to be as anal as they want. Call it open-source astronomy.

Thanks! I looked it up, and if you are referring to Don Mitchell's story, it is indeed well worth reading. http://www.mentallandscape.com/C_CatalogVenus.htm

Even better, the re-processing pipeline for each of the Venera mission datasets is explained in great detail. For instance, about the Venera-9 mission images (from http://www.mentallandscape.com/V_DigitalImages.htm:

The upper image is the raw 6-bit telemetry, about 115 by 512 pixels. Automatic gain control and logarithmic quantization were used to handle the unknown dynamic range of illumination. Previously published images from these probes suffered from severe analog generation loss, so it is fortunate that the original data was found. The raw image was converted to optical density according to Russian calibration data, then to linear radiance for image processing. It was interpolated with windowed sinc filter to avoid post-aliasing (a "pixilated" appearance), and the modulation transfer function ("aperture") of the camera was corrected with a 1 + 0.2*frequency**2 emphasis. This was then written out as 8-bit gamma-corrected values, using the sRGB standard gamma of 2.2. Some of the telemetry bars on the right were replaced with data from the 124 panorama. The bottom image is digitally in-painted, using Bertalmio's isophote-flow algorithm, to fill in missing data.

... and for a BBC coverage of the story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3387895.stm

The two circular displays suggest some bizarre colour organ interface. Alas no, just boring old monochrome text. http://www.mentallandscape.com/Computer_CDC.htm

If you mean "we" humans, there were ten Soviet landers - 8 Venera, 2 Vega. Most lasted at least half an hour, some almost 2 hours.

http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/chronology_venus.html

The Unites States never attempted a landing, though one mission did send several probes into the atmosphere (they landed in the sense that a meteorite lands, but that's not what you meant).

Oh, someone re-processed the images, using modern computer technology. A great improvement over the very limited techniques of the time, they're pretty amazing:

http://www.mentallandscape.com/C_CatalogVenus.htm

I wonder if you could also do that on Venus (too hot maybe?)

No need to wonder, it has been done: http://www.mentallandscape.com/V_Vega.htm. The aerostats (that's the collective term for all lighter-than-air vessels) were part of the same payload as landers for increased difficulty, too.

Some quotes from the link:

The aerostats were deployed at the anti-solar point of Venus, above the continent of Aphrodite Terra. During 46 hours of operation, they traveled about 1/3 of the way around the planet in the 240 km/hour zonal winds.

After the end of signal, the balloons probably overheated and burst, somewhere on the daylight side of Venus.

So there is a first generation. Many are ignorant of this and the rest of the Venera program (linked site is recommended). This ignorance has probably been "helped" by Soviet scientific successes not being considered the hottest stuff to tell people about.

These were night-side aerostats though - the dayside is still out of reach, and a "global" longer-lived aerostat could be the goal for the next generation of missions.

Lunkhod (or Lunakhod) 1 and 2 roved around on the Moon in the 1970's, with the second rover covering over 40 km (more than the current Mars Rovers combined).

Here are some pictures from the mission.

Lunkhod 2 has a laser retroreflector package that is used for laser laser ranging (LLR) along with 3 Apollo LLR retroreflector packages; these 4 sites together determine the Moon's orbit to the order of centimeters and are thus crucial in a number of scientific investigations ranging from pure physics to Lunar dynamics.

As a PS, I would strongly urge any exploration of the Apollo 11 site to stay well away from its LLR retroreflectors, as moving them by even a mm could cause problems interpreting that data.

Pictures from the Soviet Phobos mission can be found here.

Basically all of our knowledge of the surface of Venus comes from the Soviet Venera spacecraft. The Soviets developed the ability to land spacecraft on the hellishly hot surface of Venus, conduct experiments, and send back some pretty cool pictures.

Given that Venus is pretty similar to the Earth, except with run-away global warming, and that no other space agency has seen fit to do any surface missions, I wish that the Russians would send some more landers to Venus.

Basically all of our knowledge of the surface of Venus comes from the Soviet Venera spacecraft. The Soviets developed the ability to land spacecraft on the hellishly hot surface of Venus, conduct experiments, and send back some pretty cool pictures.

Given that Venus is pretty similar to the Earth, except with run-away global warming, and that no other space agency has seen fit to do any surface missions, I wish that the Russians would send some more landers to Venus.

Section of Reworked Venera-13 Image http://www.mentallandscape.com/V_DigitalImages.htm Checkout the venus pics if you havent already from the link above. Mercury surface pics would be cool.

I'm always amazed when i read about the Venera program. The soviets did some incredible advances in the aerospace field back then.

The Soviet space achievement that I'm amazed nobody's ever heard of is the Lunokhod programme. Two robotic rovers, landing on the moon, around 1970. They were remote-controlled from earth, driven manually via a TV link. Lunokhod 1 lasted for just under a year and travelled about 10km, Lunokhod 2 for four months but managed 35km.

After they died, they were sold off to private individuals. Apparently, one of them is now owned by Richard Garriot.

Between them they transmitted over 100000 TV pictures back from the moon about about 100 panoramas. You can find some of them here (along with other Soviet-era moon exploration imagery).

Since Venus's surface temperature is about 460 C, these chips would presumably work on the surface of Venus, which would allow for long duration landers, or even rovers, should we want to do that. I think of Venus, "Earth's evil twin," as being a very interesting planet, but there has never been very much interest in exploring it at NASA.

The only pictures we have of the surface of Venus are from the Venera landers. (These USSR Venus landers were all inernally insulated and weren't designed to last on the surface more than about an hour; since the data were relayed from the fly-by bus spacecraft which was only in range for about that duration, there was no point in doing more.)

Since Venus's surface temperature is about 460 C, these chips would presumably work on the surface of Venus, which would allow for long duration landers, or even rovers, should we want to do that. I think of Venus, "Earth's evil twin," as being a very interesting planet, but there has never been very much interest in exploring it at NASA.

The only pictures we have of the surface of Venus are from the Venera landers. (These USSR Venus landers were all inernally insulated and weren't designed to last on the surface more than about an hour; since the data were relayed from the fly-by bus spacecraft which was only in range for about that duration, there was no point in doing more.)

Check out http://www.mentallandscape.com/V_Venus.htm for an excellent archive of the Soviet exploration of Venus.

Venera 9 sent image telemetry for 50 minutes. It scanned 174 of the panorama from left to right, and then 124 scanning right to left.

They drilled, photographed, and used penetrometers on the surface. Each mission lasts a few hours to days before the atmosphere crumples the spacecraft like a soda can due to the pressure. Much different than life on Mars!

Check out http://www.mentallandscape.com/V_Venus.htm for an excellent archive of the Soviet exploration of Venus.

Venera 9 sent image telemetry for 50 minutes. It scanned 174 of the panorama from left to right, and then 124 scanning right to left.

They drilled, photographed, and used penetrometers on the surface. Each mission lasts a few hours to days before the atmosphere crumples the spacecraft like a soda can due to the pressure. Much different than life on Mars!

The Soviets sent probes to Venus a while back and retured pictures. Color pictures in the visible spectrum.

It has a horizon and due to the extreme fisheye it is perhaps difficult to tell just how far the horizon is, but it appears to be perhaps 10 meters or a bit more.

http://www.mentallandscape.com/V_DigitalImages.htm

Check out http://www.mentallandscape.com/V_Venus.htm for an excellent archive of the Soviet exploration of Venus.

Venera 9 sent image telemetry for 50 minutes. It scanned 174 of the panorama from left to right, and then 124 scanning right to left.

They drilled, photographed, and used penetrometers on the surface. Each mission lasts a few hours to days before the atmosphere crumples the spacecraft like a soda can due to the pressure. Much different than life on Mars!

Check out http://www.mentallandscape.com/V_Venus.htm for an excellent archive of the Soviet exploration of Venus.

Venera 9 sent image telemetry for 50 minutes. It scanned 174 of the panorama from left to right, and then 124 scanning right to left.

They drilled, photographed, and used penetrometers on the surface. Each mission lasts a few hours to days before the atmosphere crumples the spacecraft like a soda can due to the pressure. Much different than life on Mars!

There have been a number of landers on Venus

http://www.mentallandscape.com/V_Venus.htm

Interestingly enough, the mission has a pretty complete wikipedia article.

But even better are these pictures of the surface of Venus from the old Venera missions.

Yes -- and as long as you're checking out Wikipedia, don't miss the stunning picture of Mons Veneris.

Interestingly enough, the mission has a pretty complete wikipedia article.

But even better are these pictures of the surface of Venus from the old Venera missions.

More pictures of a rocky surface taken from the soviet probe to venus. Perhaps the rocky barren surface with grit-like "soil" is the norm for planets with atmospheres.

The longest a probe has ever survived on the surface of Venus was about 20 minutes

Incorrect, Venera-9 sent back telemetry for 50 minutes and Venera-10 did so for 45 minutes, as seen here.

This guy applies modern image processing to old tapes of raw data from Russian "Venera" missions. Quite fascinating views, but still, too hot and acidic... I guess a spacecraft gets "eaten" by the atmosphere there in like an hour...

Paul B.

This is off-topic mostly, but speaking of Venera and image resolution, it's amazing what this person has been able to do with image reprocessing techniques.

Basically, they took the old photos and used modern image processing techniques to enhance the resolution even more.

Truly remarkable.

Perhaps similar feats can be achieved with time for the Titan images.

Basically, Wolfram wanted to develop a program for symbolic computation to help with his work on physics. He later did leave Caltech (and had serious problems trying to take his symbolic program with him as the University claimed ownership probably because he used University resources to develop it) and went to the Institute for Advanced Study. He did research there using computers and felt that the culture there didn't like computer modeling so he left and went to UIUC, I think, which was about the same time that he got the MacArthur Genius grant, I think, and that grant gave him enough money to found his own company.

This guy spent a lot of time optimizing these imgages, and offers a very cool site about the Soviet Venera program in general. Very cool stuff.

You joke, but a microphone has sent back data from the surface of Venus. Sound levels only, rather than actual sound, but hey, at 90 bar and 450 deg C, that's not too shabby.

See near the end of this page.

I was trying to link to "this" above at http://www.mentallandscape.com/V_Venera11.htm, but it didn't work...

Ah yes, Don P. Mitchell. This guy is masterful with the ladies!