In 1970 a Soviet probe became the first object ever to transmit from the surface of another planet, and it lasted barely 23 minutes on Venus before the heat killed it

On 15 December 1970, a Soviet probe called Venera 7 reached the surface of Venus and kept transmitting. It was the first time any human-made object had returned data from the surface of another planet. The transmission lasted about 23 minutes before the probe fell silent. The achievement was almost missed. Venera 7’s parachute failed [...] The post In 1970 a Soviet probe became the first object ever to transmit from the surface of another planet, and it lasted barely 23 minutes on Venus before t