Venera 1 (1VA No. 2), the first spacecraft to leave Earth orbit toward another planet, launched on a Molniya 8K78 from Baikonur toward Venus; radio contact was lost after about a week, and the silent probe flew by Venus in May 1961 at roughly 100,000 km.
- Outcome
- Success
- Payload to orbit
- 1.2 T
- Flight
- 4th
- of 40 Molniya 8K78 flights
- Date and time
- 12 February 1961, 00:34 UTC
- Rocket
- Molniya 8K78
- Builder
- RKK Energia
- Launch site
- 1/5, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
- Payload
- Unknown
- International designator
- 1961-003
- Launches in 1961
- 3rd of 50
See it in orbit
Space Atlas shows the satellites and rocket stages from this launch in 3D.
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