Venera-D mission approaches: Satellite antenna successfully tested

Specialists at the Moscow Aviation Institute have successfully tested an innovative antenna for a small relay satellite being developed as part of the Russian interplanetary mission "Venera-D". The CubeSat equipped with the new antenna will serve to ensure stable communication between research probes and Earth via Venus. This is reported by Ixbt.com reports .

The device was tested in a special anechoic chamber and confirmed all technical specifications defined during the design process. During the mission, this CubeSat will relay photos, telemetry, and other scientific data obtained from aerostats on Venus and surface probes back to Earth.

The specially developed reflectarray antenna allows data transmission over hundreds of millions of kilometers without interruptions. It consists of a transmitter and a reflector, which collects scattered radio signals and directs them back to Earth with high precision, much like a "laser beam".

The project is being developed by staff at the MAI Space Technology Center and students from a joint educational program with Khalifa University. This allowed future engineers to learn the full cycle of space equipment creation — from design to testing real hardware.

The "Venera-D" station project is currently in the preliminary design phase. Previously, it was reported that scientists plan to use this mission to search for signs of life on Venus in the second half of the 2030s.