Г а ) ▁comb ines ▁the ▁first ▁two ▁letters ▁Russian ▁words ▁for ▁Ven us ▁( В ене ра : ▁" V ener a ") ▁and ▁Hal ley ▁( Г а лле я : ▁" G al ley a ") ▁They ▁were ▁designed ▁by ▁Bab ak in ▁Space ▁Centre ▁and ▁constructed ▁as ▁ 5 V K ▁by ▁Lav och kin ▁at ▁Kh im ki . ▁The ▁craft ▁was ▁power ed ▁by ▁large ▁tw in ▁solar ▁pan els . ▁Inst ru ments ▁included ▁an ▁anten na ▁d ish , ▁cam eras , ▁spect rom eter , ▁inf ra red ▁sound er , ▁magnet om eters ▁( M IS CH A ) ▁and ▁pl asma ▁prob es . ▁The ▁ ▁craft ▁was ▁launched ▁on ▁top ▁of ▁a ▁Pro ton ▁ 8 K 8 2 K ▁ro cket ▁from ▁Ba ikon ur ▁Cos mod rome , ▁Ty ur at am , ▁Kaz akh ▁SS R . ▁Both ▁V ega ▁ 1 ▁and ▁ 2 ▁were ▁three - axis ▁stabil ized ▁space craft . ▁The ▁space craft ▁were ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁a ▁dual ▁b um per ▁shield ▁for ▁dust ▁protection ▁from ▁Hal ley ' s ▁Com et . ▁ ▁Ven us ▁mission ▁ ▁The ▁descent ▁module ▁arrived ▁at ▁Ven us ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁June ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁two ▁days ▁after ▁being ▁released ▁from ▁the ▁V ega ▁ 2 ▁fly by ▁pro be . ▁The ▁module , ▁a ▁, ▁ 2 4 0   cm ▁diameter ▁sphere , ▁contained ▁a ▁surface ▁land er ▁and ▁a