Venera 6

{{short description|1969 Soviet robotic lander on Venus}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2018}}

{{More citations needed|date=April 2008}}

{{Infobox spaceflight

| name = Venera 6

| image = The Soviet Union 1969 CPA 3821 stamp (Space Probe, Space Capsule and Orbits).jpg

| image_size =

| image_caption = Venera 6 on a Soviet stamp

| mission_type = Venus atmospheric probe

| operator = Lavochkin

| COSPAR_ID = 1969-002A{{cite web |url=https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1969-002A |title=Venera 6 |website=NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive|access-date=July 3, 2017}}

| SATCAT = 3648

| mission_duration = Travel: {{time interval|10 January 1969|17 May 1969|show=d}}
Atmosphere: 51 minutes

| spacecraft = 2V (V-69) No.331

| manufacturer = Lavochkin

| dry_mass = {{convert|410|kg|lb|abbr=on}}

| launch_mass = {{convert|1130|kg|lb|abbr=on}}{{cite book|url=https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/beyond-earth-tagged.pdf|title=Beyond Earth: A Chronicle of Deep Space Exploration, 1958–2016|last1=Siddiqi|first1=Asif|publisher=NASA History Program Office|edition=second|year=2018}}

| landing_mass =

| power =

| launch_date = {{start-date|January 10, 1969, 05:51:52|timezone=yes}} UTC

| launch_rocket = Molniya 8K78M

| launch_site = Baikonur 1/5

| last_contact = {{end-date|May 17, 1969}}

| orbit_epoch =

| orbit_reference = Heliocentric

| orbit_periapsis = 0.71 AU

| orbit_apoapsis = 0.98 AU

| orbit_inclination = 2.0°

| orbit_period = 285 days

| apsis = helion

|interplanetary =

{{Infobox spaceflight/IP

|type = atmospheric

|object = Venus

|arrival_date = May 17, 1969, 06:05 UT

|location = {{Venus coords and quad cat|5|S|23|E}}
(10–12 km altitude)

}}

| programme = Venera

| previous_mission = Venera 5

| next_mission = Venera 7

}}

Venera 6 ({{langx|ru|link=no|Венера-6}} meaning Venus 6), or 2V (V-69) No.331, was a Soviet spacecraft, launched towards Venus to obtain atmospheric data. It had an on-orbit dry mass of {{convert|1130|kg|lb|abbr=on}}.

The spacecraft was very similar to Venera 4 although it was of a stronger design. When the atmosphere of Venus was approached, a capsule with a mass of {{convert|405|kg|lb}} was jettisoned from the main spacecraft. This capsule contained scientific instruments.

During descent towards the surface of Venus, a parachute opened to slow the rate of descent. For 51 minutes on May 17, 1969, while the capsule was suspended from the parachute, data from the Venusian atmosphere were returned. It landed at {{Venus coords and quad cat|5|S|23|E}}.

The spacecraft also carried a medallion bearing the State Coat of Arms of the Soviet Union and a bas-relief of Lenin to the night side of Venus.

Given the results from Venera 4, the Venera 5 and Venera 6 landers contained new chemical analysis experiments tuned to provide more precise measurements of the atmosphere's components. Knowing the atmosphere was extremely dense, the parachutes were also made smaller so the capsule would reach its full crush depth before running out of power (as Venera-4 had done).