That’s what the Spacecraft Pioneer was doing. Pioneer was a NASA space machine that has been orbiting the planet Venus since December 1978.
NASA scientists wanted to make a map of Venus. The problem is that the planet is always covered by heavy clouds.
The surface of the planet cannot be seen by the cameras aboard the Pioneer orbiter, the cameras that would normally be used to map a planet. Instead of cameras, NASA scientists have been using the radar aboard Pioneer to “see” beyond the clouds.
What they’ve found is truly remarkable. They’ve learned that Venus had a very rocky surface.
It has a mountain taller than Mount Everest, a group of volcanoes bigger than those that stretch across the Pacific Ocean from Hawaii to Midway, and a plateau as big as the whole of Australia.
Related Posts
-
What Is the Surface of Planet Venus Like and Why Is Venus So Hot and Dry?
The first few things you would notice if you could stand on Venus would probably be the heat, the relatively constant calm weather, and the orange-colored rocks and dry dirt at your feet.…
-
What Probes Did the USSR Send To Venus and When Did Venera 7 Transmit Surface Images of the Planet Venus?
The Soviet Venera program focused on landing a probe on Venus, and ten Venera probes successfully landed on the planet. The first probes sent back data and images from within the planet's atmosphere…
-
Who Discovered the Planet Venus and What Is the Planet Venus Best Known For?
The transit of Venus was first observed in 1032 by the Persian astronomer Avicenna, but Venus has long been known to ancient civilizations as the "morning star" or "evening star". He concluded that…
-
What Is the Atmosphere On the Planet Venus Made Of and Why Is Venus Permanently Covered By Dense Cloud?
The planet Venus has an extremely dense atmosphere. The atmosphere on Venus, the second planet from the Sun, consists primarily of carbon dioxide (96.5 precent). Nitrogen makes up 3.5 percent of the atmosphere.…
-
How Did the Planet Venus Get Its Name and What Does Venus Mean In Latin?
The Romans who derived their religious pantheon from the Greek tradition, named the planet Venus after their goddess of love. On Venus, all topographical features except one are named for women, Venus being…
-
What Effect Does the Atmosphere Have On the Planet Venus and Why Is Venus Hotter Than Mercury?
The two major results of Venus's atmosphere are the amount of pressure it exerts on the planet's surface and the heat it traps. Carbon dioxide is a heavier gas than nitrogen. Because the…
