Russia has announced plans for the Venera-D mission to Venus, targeting a 2036 launch.

The mission will include a lander, balloon, and orbiter, marking the country’s first major return to Venus since the Soviet-era Venera program, which achieved the first successful landing on the planet in 1970.

Venera-D aims to study Venus’ surface, atmosphere, and extreme conditions, with the balloon exploring the thick clouds, the orbiter mapping the surface, and the lander conducting detailed investigations under searing temperatures and crushing pressures.

The mission will also search for signs of microbial life, following recent findings of phosphine and ammonia in Venus’ clouds that have sparked renewed interest in the planet’s habitability, the Daily Galaxy has reported.

With NASA, ESA, India, and private entities planning Venus missions, Venera-D represents Russia’s strategic effort to reassert itself in planetary exploration with a uniquely comprehensive approach.