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U.S.S.R. 



VEGA 1 AND 2 

 U.S.S.R. 



"Big Science" Descriptor ; Space: lunar and planetary probes 



Description of Facility/Instrument : The purpose of these two satel- 

 lites was to study Venus and Halley's Comet. As the satellites 

 pass Venus, the spacecraft will drop off landers. Balloons de- 

 veloped by the French will slowly drift through the atmosphere of 

 Venus and make "in situ" measurements. 



Date of Construction ; 1984 (launches) 



Construction Cost ; 1984 $$ ; 



Present International Cooperation 



Natlonallty(s) of Ownership ; U.S.S.R. and others 



Nationallty(s) of Operational Funding : U.S.S.R. and (see below) 



others 

 Nationality(s) of Management Staff : U.S.S.R. and others 

 Nationality(s) of Researchers ; U.S.S.R. and others 



Besides the U.S.S.R., eight other countries are directly 

 participating in the VEGA program; Austria, Bulgaria, Czecho- 

 slovakia, the Democratic Republic of Germany, France, Hungary, 

 Poland, and the Federal Republic of Germany. The United States 

 has agreed to track the balloons dropped in the atmosphere of 

 Venus for the French. The United States also will track the 

 Soviet spacecraft as they reach Halley's Comet and provide E.S./ 

 with data so it can target its GIOTTO spacecraft towards the 

 Comet . 



Other Information : Launched 



VEGA 1 : December 15, 1984 



VEGA 2 ; December 21, 1984 



