Russia Shifts Its Focus On Studying Venus As US, EU Prepare Missions To Jupiter- Scientist

Russia does not plan to follow suit with the US and Europe to send an unmanned mission to Jupiter, as it is currently focused on exploring Venus,Deputy Director of the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences Oleg Korablev said in an interview with Sputnik

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th February, 2021) Russia does not plan to follow suit with the US and Europe to send an unmanned mission to Jupiter, as it is currently focused on exploring Venus,Deputy Director of the Space Research Institute of the Russian academy of Sciences Oleg Korablev said in an interview with Sputnik.

Beginning in the mid-1980s, Moscow has repeatedly attempted to send a probe to the solar system's largest planet, including a joint mission with the EU and the US. All projects were eventually scrapped due to insufficient technologies.

"As a result, our part [of the joint project] 'died away,' and the US and European parts were divided, becoming, respectively, the Europa Clipper and JUICE [missions].

It would be tempting to return to this project now, but Venus was chosen as our main vector, taking into account all financial constraints," Korablev said.

Russia's current program includes three scientific missions to Venus from 2029 to 2034.

In 2022, the European Space Agency plans to launch the JUpiter ICy moons Explorer � JUICE � to make detailed observations of the giant planet and three of its largest moons. NASA will follow suit with its Europa Clipper mission scheduled for 2024, targeting Jupiter's moon Europa, which has ample water and oxygen.