Soviet Venus Venera probe returns to Earth after 50 years!

John and I welcomed Anatoly Zak of RussianSpaceWeb.com to discuss the recently revealed Soviet-era mission to explore Venus — the Vener-72 program. This mission has resurfaced in the news following the unexpected reentry of one of its probes into Earth’s atmosphere on May 10, 2025, after spending over 50 years in orbit.

In this two-part program, Anatoly takes us through the fascinating history of the Soviet Union’s Venus exploration efforts, with a special focus on the Vener-72 mission, which involved two probes — one of which ultimately failed. It’s an exciting and informative journey into both planetary science and Cold War-era space exploration.

Don’t miss this deep dive into a rarely discussed chapter of space history.To learn more about Anatoly Zak and his work, visit www.russianspaceweb.com.

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