Why in the News?

A 500-kg piece of a Soviet spacecraft, part of the Kosmos 482 mission launched in 1972, is expected to crash back to Earth.

About Kosmos 482 Mission:

Kosmos 482 was a Soviet space probe launched on March 31, 1972 as part of the Venera Program, aimed at exploring Venus.
It was launched just four days after its twin mission, Venera 8, which successfully landed on Venus 117 days later.
The mission’s goal was to:
- Study Venus’s atmosphere and surface
- Demonstrate technological and scientific superiority during the Cold War
Kosmos 482 was equipped with instruments to measure:
- Temperature, pressure, and wind speed
- Atmospheric gases and rock composition
- Capable of transmitting data back to Earth
Venus was a target due to:
- Speculation about life beneath its thick clouds
- Its strategic importance in space exploration rivalry
Under the broader Venera Program (1961–1984):
- 28 missions were launched toward Venus
- 13 probes entered the atmosphere
- 10 probes landed, but could only function for 23 minutes to 2 hours due to harsh surface conditions

[UPSC 2014] Which of the following pairs is/are correctly matched?

Spacecraft: Purpose

1. Cassini-Huygens : Orbiting the Venus and transmitting data to the Earth.

2. Messenger : Mapping and investigating.

3. Voyager 1 and 2 : Exploring the outer solar system.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Options: (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only* (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 only