Rare Images: Surface of Venus Captured for the First Time.
The only photos of the surface of Venus were taken by Soviet scientists during the Venera missions in the 1970s and '80s. Venus is difficult to photograph due to its thick cloud cover and harsh environment, with a surface pressure 93 times that of Earth and temperatures hot enough to melt lead. NASA's upcoming DAVINCI mission, set to launch in 2029, aims to study the atmosphere and take high-resolution pictures of the surface.