View source for Engineering:Vega 1

{{short description|1984 Soviet uncrewed space mission to study Venus and Halley's Comet}}
{{Infobox spaceflight
| name                  = Vega 1
| names_list            = Venera-Halley 1<!--list of previous names if the spacecraft has been renamed. 
Include the dates applicable if possible, and separate each name with a linebreak. 
Omit if the spacecraft has only ever been known by one name. 
Do not include Harvard, COSPAR/NSSDC or SATCAT/NORAD/NASA designations as alternative names-->

<!--image of the spacecraft/mission-->
| image                 = [[Image:Vega model - Udvar-Hazy Center.JPG|240px]]
| image_caption         = Vega Solar System probe bus and landing apparatus (model)
| image_alt             = <!--image alt text-->
| image_size            = <!--include px/em; defaults to 220px-->

<!--Basic details-->
| mission_type          = [[Astronomy:Planetary science|Planetary science]] including lander and atmospheric probe
| operator              = Soviet Academy of Sciences
| Harvard_designation   = <!--spacecraft launched 1962 and earlier only (eg. 1957 Alpha 2)-->
| COSPAR_ID             = {{hlist| {{COSPAR|1984-125A}} | {{COSPAR|1984-125E}} | {{COSPAR|1984-125F}} }}
| SATCAT                = {{hlist| 15432 | 15858 | 15859 }}
| website               = <!--Homepage of the craft/mission, OFFICIAL PAGES ONLY-->
| mission_duration      = Balloon: 2 days<br/>Orbiter: {{time interval|December 15, 1984|30 January 1987}}
| distance_travelled    = <!--How far the spacecraft travelled (if known)-->
| orbits_completed      = <!--number of times the spacecraft orbited the Earth - see below for spacecraft beyond Earth orbit-->
| suborbital_range      = <!--downrange distance reached if spacecraft did not enter orbit-->
| suborbital_apogee     = <!--altitude reached if spacecraft did not enter orbit-->

<!--Spacecraft properties-->
| spacecraft            = 5VK No. 901
| spacecraft_type       = [[Engineering:5VK|5VK]]
| spacecraft_bus        = <!--eg. A2100M, Star-2, etc-->
| manufacturer          = NPO Lavochkin
| launch_mass           = {{convert|4,840|kg}}<ref name="Vega 1">{{cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/beyond-earth-tagged.pdf |title=Vega 1 |publisher=NASA |access-date=December 2, 2022}}</ref>
| BOL_mass              = <!--spacecraft mass in orbit at beginning of operational life, after LEOP phase-->
| dry_mass              = <!--spacecraft mass in orbit without fuel-->
| payload_mass          = <!--Mass of cargo carried by spacecraft (eg. for Space Shuttle), or total mass of instrumentation/equipment/experiments for mission-->
| dimensions            = <!--body dimensions and solar array span-->
| power                 = <!--end-of-life power, in watts-->

<!--Launch details-->
| launch_date           = {{start date|1984|12|15}}, 09:16:24 UTC<ref name="Vega 1"></ref>
| launch_rocket         = Proton 8K82K
| launch_site           = Baikonur 200/39
| launch_contractor     = <!--organisation(s) that conducted the launch (eg. United Launch Alliance, Arianespace, etc)-->
| deployment_from       = <!--place where deployed from-->
| deployment_date       = <!--date deployed-->
| entered_service       = <!--date on which the spacecraft entered service, if it did not do so immediately after launch-->
<!-- * - e.g. Proton-M/Briz-M not Proton-M, but Titan IV(401)A not Titan IV(401)A-Centaur-->

<!--end of mission-->
| disposal_type         = <!--Whether the spacecraft was deorbited, decommissioned, placed in a graveyard orbit, etc-->
| deactivated           = <!--when craft was decommissioned-->
| destroyed             = <!--when craft was destroyed (if other than by re-entry)-->
| last_contact          = 30 January 1987<ref>[https://www.nasa.gov/connect/ebooks/beyond_earth_detail.html NASA.gov]</ref><!--when last signal received if not decommissioned-->
| recovery_by           = <!--recovered by-->
| recovery_date         = <!--recovery date-->
| decay_date            = <!--when craft re-entered the atmosphere, not needed if it landed-->
| landing_date          = <!--when the spacecraft made a controlled landing, not needed if it did not return intact-->
| landing_site          = <!--where the craft landed; site/runway or coordinates-->
<!--
    The following template should be used for ONE of the three above fields "end_of_mission", "decay" or "landing" if the spacecraft is no longer operational.
    If it landed intact, use it for the landing time, otherwise for the date it ceased operations, or the decay date if it was still operational when it re-entered.
    {{end date|YYYY|MM|DD|hh|mm|ss|TZ=Z}} (for Zulu/UTC) or {{end date|YYYY|MM|DD}} (if time unknown) 
-->

<!--orbit parameters-->
<!--as science-related articles, SI units should be the principal units of measurement, however we usually use {{convert}} to display imperial units in parentheses after the initial values-->
| orbit_reference       = [[Astronomy:Geocentric orbit|Geocentric]]
| orbit_regime          = [[Astronomy:Low Earth orbit|Low Earth]] 
| orbit_longitude       = <!--geosynchronous satellites only-->
| orbit_slot            = <!--Designation of orbital position or slot, if not longitude (e.g plane and position of a GPS satellite)-->
| orbit_semimajor       = {{convert|6,558|km|mi}}
| orbit_eccentricity    = 0.03080
| orbit_periapsis       = {{convert|159|km|mi}}
| orbit_apoapsis        = {{convert|202|km|mi}} 
| orbit_inclination     = 51.5°
| orbit_period          = 88 minutes
| orbit_RAAN            = <!--right ascension of the ascending node-->
| orbit_arg_periapsis   = <!--argument of perigee/periapsis-->
| orbit_mean_anomaly    = <!--mean anomaly at epoch, only use in conjunction with an epoch value-->
| orbit_mean_motion     = <!--mean motion of the satellite, usually measured in orbits per day-->
| orbit_repeat          = <!--repeat interval/revisit time-->
| orbit_velocity        = <!--speed at which the spacecraft was travelling at epoch - only use for spacecraft with low orbital eccentricity-->
| orbit_epoch           = <!--the date at which the orbit parameters were correct-->
| orbit_rev_number      = <!--revolution number-->
| apsis                 = gee

|interplanetary         = <!--Infobox spaceflight/IP can be called multiple times for missions with multiple targets or combined orbiter/lander missions, etc-->
 {{Infobox spaceflight/IP
   |type                = flyby
   |object              = [[Astronomy:Venus|Venus]]
   |orbits              = <!--number of orbits completed at target body (if applicable and known)-->
   |component           = <!--part of the spacecraft involved, if spacecraft split into multiple components-->
   |arrival_date        = 11 June 1985
   |departure_date      = <!--Date of leaving orbit for orbiters, date of launch for landers which took off again-->
   |location            = <!--landing/impact site, including EOM impacts for atmospheric probes and lunar/asteroid orbiters-->
   |distance            = ~{{convert|39000|km|mi}}
 }}

 {{Infobox spaceflight/IP
   |type                = atmospheric
   |object              = [[Astronomy:Venus|Venus]]
   |orbits              = <!--number of orbits completed at target body (if applicable and known)-->
   |component           = Vega 1 Balloon
   |arrival_date        = 02:06:10, 11 June 1985
   |departure_date      = <!--Date of leaving orbit for orbiters, date of launch for landers which took off again-->
   |location            = <!--landing/impact site, including EOM impacts for atmospheric probes and lunar/asteroid orbiters-->
   |distance            = <!--closest approach distance for flybys, distance travelled on surface for rovers, omit for others-->
 }}

 {{Infobox spaceflight/IP
   |type                = lander
   |object              = [[Astronomy:Venus|Venus]]
   |orbits              = <!--number of orbits completed at target body (if applicable and known)-->
   |component           = Vega 1 Descent Craft
   |arrival_date        = 03:02:54, 11 June 1985
   |departure_date      = <!--Date of leaving orbit for orbiters, date of launch for landers which took off again-->
   |location            = {{coord|7.5|N|177.7|E|globe:venus|name=Vega 1}} (north of [[Astronomy:Aphrodite Terra|Aphrodite Terra]])
   |distance            = <!--closest approach distance for flybys, distance travelled on surface for rovers, omit for others-->
 }}

 {{Infobox spaceflight/IP
   |type                = flyby
   |object              = [[Astronomy:Halley's Comet|1P/Halley]]
   |orbits              = <!--number of orbits completed at target body (if applicable and known)-->
   |component           = <!--part of the spacecraft involved, if spacecraft split into multiple components-->
   |arrival_date        = 6 March 1986
   |departure_date      = <!--Date of leaving orbit for orbiters, date of launch for landers which took off again-->
   |location            = <!--landing/impact site, including EOM impacts for atmospheric probes and lunar/asteroid orbiters-->
   |distance            = ~{{convert|10000|km|abbr=on}}
 }}

<!--transponder parameters-->
| trans_band            = <!--Transponder frequency bands-->
| trans_frequency       = <!--specific frequencies-->
| trans_bandwidth       = <!--bandwidth-->
| trans_capacity        = <!--capacity of the transponders-->
| trans_coverage        = <!--area covered-->
| trans_TWTA            = <!--TWTA output power-->
| trans_EIRP            = <!--equivalent isotropic power-->
| trans_HPBW            = <!--half-power beam width-->

<!--Only use where a spacecraft/mission is part of a clear programme of sequential missions. 
If in doubt, leave it out-->
| programme             = [[Astronomy:Vega program|Vega]]
| previous_mission      = None
| next_mission          = [[Astronomy:Vega 2|Vega 2]]

<!--mission insignia or patch-->
| insignia              = 1986 venera galley nh.jpg
| insignia_caption      = Insignia of the mission
| insignia_alt          = <!--image alt text-->
| insignia_size         = 70px
}}<!--{{Infobox Spacecraft
|Name=vega 1 balloon
| Mission_Duration = 11 to 13 June 1985 
}}-->

'''Vega 1''' (along with its twin [[Astronomy:Vega 2|Vega 2]]) was a [[Place:Soviet Union|Soviet]] [[Engineering:Space probe|space probe]], part of the [[Astronomy:Vega program|Vega program]]. The spacecraft was a development of the earlier ''[[Astronomy:Venera|Venera]]'' craft. They were designed by [[Organization:Babakin Space Centre|Babakin Space Centre]] and constructed as '''[[Engineering:5VK|5VK]]''' by [[Company:Lavochkin|Lavochkin]] at Khimki. The name VeGa (ВеГа) combines the first two letters from the Russian words for [[Astronomy:Venus|Venus]] (Венера: "Venera") and [[Astronomy:Halley's Comet|Halley]] (Галлея: "Galleya").

The craft was powered by twin large solar panels and instruments included an antenna dish, cameras, [[Physics:Spectrometer|spectrometer]], infrared sounder, [[Physics:Magnetometer|magnetometer]]s (MISCHA), and plasma probes. The {{convert|4,840|kg}} craft was launched by a Proton 8K82K rocket from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Tyuratam, Kazakh SSR.  Both Vega 1 and 2 were [[Astronomy:Spacecraft attitude control|three-axis stabilized]] spacecraft.  The spacecraft were equipped with a dual [[Engineering:Whipple shield|bumper shield]]<ref name="Vegaspace">V. A. Agureikin, S. I. Anisimov, A. V. Bushman, G. I. Kanel', V. P. Karyagin, A. B. Konstantinov, B. P. Kryukov, V. F. Minin, S. V. Razorenov, R. Z. Sagdeev, S. G. Sugak, V. E. Fortov, (1984). "Thermo-physical and gas-dynamic studies of the meteorite shield for the Vega spacecraft". ''High Temperature'' '''761-778''' 22(5). WoS:[http://ws.isiknowledge.com/cps/openurl/service?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft_id=info:ut/A1984ALC5000020 A1984ALC5000020] Scopus:[http://www.scopus.com/record/display.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0021489019&origin=resultslist 2-s2.0-0021489019]</ref> for dust protection from Halley's comet.

== Venus mission ==
The descent module arrived at Venus on 11 June 1985, two days after being released from the Vega 1 flyby probe. The module, a {{convert|1500|kg}} sphere with a diameter of {{convert|240|cm}}, contained a surface lander and a balloon explorer. The flyby probe performed a [[Astronomy:Gravity assist|gravitational assist]] maneuver using Venus, and continued its mission to intercept the comet.<ref name="nasavega1a">[https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1984-125A NASA—NSSDC—Spacecraft—Details]</ref>

===Descent craft===
[[File:Vega 1.jpg|thumb|left|220px|Spacecraft Vega 1]]
The surface lander was identical to that of Vega 2 as well as the previous six ''[[Astronomy:Venera|Venera]]'' missions. The objective of the probe was the study of the atmosphere and the exposed surface of the planet. The scientific payload included an [[Physics:Ultraviolet|ultraviolet]] [[Physics:Spectrometer|spectrometer]], temperature and pressure sensors, a water concentration meter, a gas-phase chromatograph, an [[Physics:X-ray|X-ray]] [[Physics:Spectrometer|spectrometer]], a [[Physics:Mass spectrometer|mass spectrometer]], and a surface sampling device.  Since the probe made a nighttime landing, no images were taken. Several of these scientific tools (the UV spectrometer, the mass spectrograph, and the devices to measure pressure and temperature) were developed in collaboration with French scientists.<ref name="nasavega1a"/>

The lander successfully touched down at {{Venus coords and quad cat|7.2|N|177.8|E}} in the Mermaid Plain north of [[Astronomy:Aphrodite Terra|Aphrodite Terra]].  Due to excessive turbulence, some surface experiments were inadvertently activated {{convert|20|km}} above the surface. Only the mass spectrometer was able to return data.<ref name="nasavega1b">{{Cite web |url=http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/profile.cfm?MCode=Vega_01&Display=ReadMore |title=NASA Database—Solar System Exploration; Missions; By Target; Venus; Past; Vega 1 |access-date=11 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130615191247/http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/profile.cfm?MCode=Vega_01&Display=ReadMore |archive-date=15 June 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Tools on the lander include:
* [[Physics:Thermometer|Thermometer]]s
* [[Engineering:Barometer|Barometer]]s
* UV absorption [[Physics:Spectrometer|spectrometer]]—ISAV-S
* Optical aerosol analyzer, [[Chemistry:Nephelometer|Nephelometer]]—ISAV-A
* Aerosol particle-size counter—LSA
* Aerosol [[Physics:Mass spectrometer|mass spectrometer]]—MALAKHIT-M 
* Aerosol gas chromatograph—SIGMA-3
* Aerosol [[Physics:X-ray|X-ray]] fluorescence spectrometer—IFP
* [[Earth:Hygrometer|Hygrometer]]—VM-4
* Soil [[Physics:X-ray|X-ray]] fluorescence spectrometer—BDRP-AM25 
* Gamma-ray spectrometer—GS-15STsV
* [[Engineering:Penetrometer|Penetrometer]] / Soil ohmmeter—Prop-V
* Stabilized oscillator / [[Physics:Doppler effect|Doppler radio]]

===Balloon===
[[File:Russian "Vega" balloon mission to Venus on display at the Udvar-Hazy museum.jpg|thumb|Vega balloon probe on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center of the Smithsonian Institution]]

The Vega 1 Lander/Balloon capsule entered the Venus atmosphere ({{convert|125|km|disp=sqbr}} altitude) at 2:06:10 UT (Earth received time; Moscow time 5:06:10&nbsp;a.m.) on 11 June 1985 at roughly {{convert|11|km/s}}. At approximately 2:06:25 UT the parachute attached to the landing craft cap opened at an altitude of {{convert|64|km}}. The cap and parachute were released 15 seconds later at {{convert|63|km}} altitude. The balloon package was pulled out of its compartment by parachute 40 seconds later at {{convert|61|km}} altitude, at 8.1 degrees N, 176.9 degrees east. A second parachute opened at an altitude of {{convert|55|km}}, 200 seconds after entry, extracting the furled balloon. The balloon was inflated 100 seconds later at {{convert|54|km}} and the parachute and inflation system were jettisoned. The ballast was jettisoned when the balloon reached roughly {{convert|50|km}} and the balloon floated back to a stable height between {{convert|53|and|54|km}} some 15 to 25 minutes after entry.

The mean stable height was {{convert|53.6|km}}, with a pressure of {{convert|535|mbar}} and a temperature of {{convert|300|-|310|K}} in the middle, most active layer of the Venus three-tiered cloud system. The balloon drifted westward in the zonal wind flow with an average speed of about {{convert|69|m/s}} ({{convert|248|km/h|disp=sqbr}}) at nearly constant latitude. The probe crossed the terminator from night to day at 12:20 UT on 12 June after traversing {{convert|8500|km}}. The probe continued to operate in the daytime until the final transmission was received at 00:38 UT on 13 June from 8.1 N, 68.8 E after a total traverse distance of {{convert|11600|km}} or about 30% of the circumference of the planet. It is not known how much farther the balloon traveled after the final communication.<ref name="nasavega1b"/>

== Halley mission ==
After their encounters, the Vegas' motherships used the gravity of Venus, also known as a gravity assist, to intercept [[Astronomy:Halley's Comet|Halley's Comet]].

Images started to be returned on 4 March 1986, and were used to help pinpoint Giotto's close flyby of the comet. The early images from Vega showed two bright areas on the comet, which were initially interpreted as a double nucleus.  The bright areas would later turn out to be two jets emitting from the comet.   The images also showed the nucleus to be dark, and the infrared spectrometer readings measured a nucleus temperature of {{convert|300|to|400|K}}, much warmer than expected for an ice body.  The conclusion was that the comet had a thin layer on its surface covering an icy body.

Vega 1 made its closest approach on 6 March at around {{convert|8889|km}} (at 07:20:06 UT) of the nucleus. It took more than 500 pictures via different filters as it flew through the gas cloud around the coma. Although the spacecraft was battered by dust, none of the instruments were disabled during the encounter.

The data intensive examination of the comet covered only the three hours around closest approach. They were intended to measure the physical parameters of the nucleus, such as dimensions, shape, temperature and surface properties, as well as to study the structure and dynamics of the [[Astronomy:Coma (cometary)|coma]], the gas composition close to the nucleus, the dust particles' composition and mass distribution as functions of distance to the nucleus and the cometary-[[Astronomy:Solar wind|solar wind]] interaction.

The Vega images showed the nucleus to be about {{convert|14|km}} long with a rotation period of about 53 hours. The dust mass spectrometer detected material similar to the composition of carbonaceous chondrites meteorites and also detected clathrate ice.

After subsequent imaging sessions on 7 and 8 March 1986, Vega 1 headed out to deep space. In total Vega 1 and Vega 2 returned about 1500 images of Comet Halley. Vega 1 ran out of attitude control propellant on 30 January 1987, and contact with Vega 2 continued until 24 March 1987.

Vega 1 is currently in [[Astronomy:Heliocentric orbit|heliocentric orbit]], with perihelion of 0.70 [[Astronomy:Astronomical unit|AU]], aphelion of 0.98 AU, [[Astronomy:Orbital eccentricity|eccentricity]] of 0.17, [[Astronomy:Orbital inclination|inclination]] of 2.3 degrees and [[Astronomy:Orbital period|orbital period]] of 281 days.

==See also==
*[[Astronomy:List of missions to Venus|List of missions to Venus]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20061004051408/http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/profile.cfm?MCode=Vega_01 Vega 1 Measuring Mission Profile] by [http://solarsystem.nasa.gov NASA's Solar System Exploration]
*[http://arc.iki.rssi.ru/IPL/vega.html Vega mission images from the Space Research Institute (IKI)]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070311040927/http://starbase.jpl.nasa.gov/archive/vega2-c-tvs-5-rdr-halley-transform-v1.0/hal_0026/ Raw data from Vega 1 and Vega 2 on board instruments]
*[http://www.mentallandscape.com/V_Vega.htm Soviet Exploration of Venus]
* [https://pdssbn.astro.umd.edu/data_sb/missions/vega1/index.shtml ''Vega 1'' Mission Comet Halley Data Archive] at the NASA Planetary Data System, Small Bodies Node

{{Venus spacecraft}}
{{Comet spacecraft}}

[[Category:Missions to Halley's Comet]]
[[Category:Derelict satellites in heliocentric orbit]]
[[Category:Derelict space probes]]
[[Category:Extraterrestrial aircraft]]
[[Category:Extraterrestrial atmosphere entry]]

{{Sourceattribution|Vega 1}}