India and Sweden Unite for 2028 Venus Mission 'Shukrayaan'

India and Sweden have officially partnered on ISRO’s upcoming Venus mission “Shukrayaan,” with Sweden contributing a key scientific instrument — the Venusian Neutrals Analyser (VNA) — to study how solar winds interact with Venus’s atmosphere. The mission is scheduled for launch on 29 March 2028 aboard India’s LVM‑3 rocket.

For an uninitiated, the Shukrayaan is ISRO’s first dedicated mission to Venus, planned for launch on 29 March 2028 aboard the LVM‑3 rocket. It will orbit Venus to study its atmosphere, surface, and solar wind interactions, with international contributions from Sweden and Russia.

Mission Overview

• Mission Name: Shukrayaan (Sanskrit for “Venus Craft”)
• Launch Date: 29 March 2028
• Rocket: ISRO’s LVM‑3
• Journey Duration: ~112 days to reach Venus
• Orbit: Elliptical Venusian orbit (500 km periapsis, 60,000 km apoapsis)
• Budget: ₹1,236 crore (approved in 2024)
• Payloads: 19 instruments (Indian + international contributions)

Sweden’s Contribution

• Instrument: Venusian Neutrals Analyser (VNA)
• Developer: Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF)
• Purpose: Study solar wind interactions with Venus’s upper atmosphere and exosphere
• Integrated into India’s VISWAS package
• Impact: Explains Venus’s atmospheric loss and greenhouse evolution

International Collaboration

• Russia: VIRAL instrument (Venus Infrared Atmospheric Gases Linker)
• Norway: MoU with ISRO for space and climate research
• India–Sweden Strategic Context: Announced during PM Modi’s Gothenburg visit in May 2026

Scientific Goals

• Study Venus’s dense atmosphere, volcanic surface, and weather systems
• Investigate super‑rotating clouds
• Explore past conditions for liquid water
• Provide insights into planetary climate evolution

Quick Comparison: India–Sweden Roles in Shukrayaan

India (ISRO)	Sweden (IRF)
Mission design, spacecraft, launch via LVM‑3	Venusian Neutrals Analyser (VNA)
19 payloads including VISWAS plasma package	Studies solar wind–atmosphere interactions
Focus on atmosphere, surface, clouds, climate	Builds on Indo‑Swedish space ties
Budget ₹1,236 crore, approved 2024	Instrument integrated into Indian payload system

Challenges Ahead 

• Extreme conditions: Venus’s surface reaches 460°C with sulphuric acid clouds
• Orbital insertion requires precise maneuvering
• International coordination for multi‑country payload integration

ISRO has built extensive international partnerships in space exploration — from joint missions with NASA and CNES to new collaborations with Sweden, Norway, and Russia. These projects span planetary science, Earth observation, climate monitoring, and human spaceflight.  

Shukrayaan Mission Snapshot

• Name: Shukrayaan (Venus Orbiter Mission)
• Launch Date: 29 March 2028
• Rocket: LVM‑3 (same launcher as Chandrayaan‑3)
• Journey Duration: ~112 days to reach Venus orbit
• Orbital Insertion: 19 July 2028 (planned)
• Orbit: Elliptical (500 km periapsis, 60,000 km apoapsis)
• Mission Duration: 4 years (planned)
• Mass: ~2,500 kg spacecraft, ~100 kg payload capacity
• Power: 500 watts for instruments

Scientific Objectives

• Atmosphere: Study chemistry, dynamics, and composition of Venus’s dense atmosphere
• Surface: Map volcanic hotspots, lava flows, and stratigraphy using radar
• Solar Interaction: Examine solar wind effects on Venus’s ionosphere
• Comparative Planetology: Understand why Venus evolved into a hostile greenhouse world
• Life Indicators: Re‑examine claims of phosphine gas in Venus’s clouds

📊 Key Facts Table

Aspect	Details
Launch Vehicle	LVM‑3
Launch Date	29 March 2028
Orbit	500 km × 60,000 km elliptical
Mission Duration	4 years
Payloads	19 instruments (India + international)
Partners	Sweden (VNA), Russia (VIRAL)
Goals	Atmosphere, surface, solar wind, comparative planetology