FIRST SUCCESSFUL SOVIET PLANETARY PROBE

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005723773
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: June 24, 2015
• Document Release Date: December 16, 2011
• Case Number: F-2010-01025
• Publication Date: October 19, 1967

DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
Central Intelligence Bulletin
Tan goo
173
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APPROVED FOR
RELEASEL DATE:
08-Dec-2011
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 COURSE
CORRECTION
ENGINE
Venus 3, as seen at the Paris Air Show in June. Probably closely resem es Venus 4.
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VENUS-4
First Successful Soviet Planetary Probe
FAILURE
19 Oct 67 CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Chart
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 Venus 4 was part of a two-probe mission. Five
days after it was launched on 12 June, a second Soviet
probe failed to achieve a Venus trajectory and was des-
ignated Cosmos 167. The second probe probably was
designed to fly past the planet. This double operation
appears to have been a repetition of the Venus 2 and 3
missions, in late 1965, both of which failed.
Some of the technology involved in the Venus 4
operation evidently was similar to that used in the
Soviet lunar program. This technology is also applic-
able to exploration of Mars. Venus 4 is the first suc-
cessful Soviet planetary probe
19Oct67 3
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