Venera 13 Descent Craft

Venera 13 and 14 were identical spacecraft built to take advantage of the 1981 Venus launch opportunity. Launched 5 days apart, the objective of the missions was to make in-situ studies of the Venus atmosphere and surface.. Venera 13 Descent Craft was launched on October 30, 1981 aboard a Proton-K/D-1 from Baikonur. Latest status in GCAT: left for deep space attached to another object (Oct 30, 1981).

COSPAR 1981-106DNORAD 15599Soviet Union

Identity

Name in GCAT: SA Veneri-13
Common name: Venera 13 Descent Craft
Payload designation: 4V-1 SA
International designator: 1981-106D
NORAD catalog number: 15599
GCAT identifier: S15599

Mission

Mission type: Deep space
Use: Civil government
Program: 4V-1 SA
Owner: IKI
Country: Soviet Union
Builder: NPO Lavochkin
Platform (bus): Venera SA

Launch

Date: October 30, 1981 · 06:04 UTC
Launch record: 1981-106Success
Rocket: Proton-K/D-1
Spaceport: Baikonur · pad LC200/40

Orbit and fate

Orbit class (GCAT): EEO
Perigee: 165 km
Inclination: 51.58°
Status: Left for deep space attached to another object
Status date: October 30, 1981
Last known active: Mar 1, 1982
End of operations: Mar 1, 1982

Size

Mass: 675 kg
Dry mass: 675 kg
Total mass with attached objects: 1,645 kg
Length: 2.0 m
Diameter: 1.00 m
Span: 2.0 m

Deep space

Deep-space catalog entry: D00625
Final central body: Venus
Phase start: February 26, 1982
Phase outcome: Released · February 27, 1982

Flight phases

From	Central body	Ended	Outcome	Next
Oct 30, 1981	Earth	Nov 3, 1981	Escaped to another body, attached	HCO
Feb 27, 1982	Venus	Mar 1, 1982	Landed	Venus

Landings and impacts

World	Type	Result	Touchdown	Site	Coordinates
Venus	Lander (parachute)	Landed and operated	Mar 1, 1982	—	-7.50, 303.10

Launched together

Venera 13Deep space · IKI

Source: GCAT payload, deep-space and lander catalogs, Jonathan C. McDowell (CC BY 4.0); Wikidata Q113136586 (CC0).