Objectives of VEGA project research

The objectives and methods of meteorological and geochemical studies of the planet Venus are discussed. These studies were done by probes from the automatic interplanetary stations Vega-1 and Vega-2. These experiments called for using aerostatic probes for the first time to obtain information on the dynamics of Venus' atmosphere; determining the atmosphere's sulfuric acid content by direct methods for the first time; obtaining new data on the chemical composition and structure of clouds of Venus and on trace elements in the planet's atmosphere; and determining the element composition of the planet's soil in new locations, with the aid of the stations' landing modules.