Venera 1 (Russian:Венера-1) was a Soviet spacecraft, which became the first spacecraft to fly by Venus. The probe consisted of a cylindrical body topped by a dome, totaling 2 meters in height. Two solar panels extended radially from the cylinder. A large (over 2 meter diameter) high-gain net antenna was used to receive signals from the ground. This antenna was attached to the cylinder. A long antenna arm was used to transmit signals to Earth. The probe was equipped with scientific instruments including a magnetometer attached to the end of a 2 meter boom, ion traps , micrometeorite detectors, and cosmic radiation counters. The dome contained a KDU-414 engine used for mid-course corrections. Temperature control was achieved with thermal shutters.

Venera 1 (61-003A) was launched along with an Earth orbiting launch platform (Tyazheliy Sputnik 5 (61-003C)) with a Molniya launcher February 12 1961, 00:34:36 UTC. From a 229 × 282 km orbit, the Venera 1 automatic interplanetary station was launched from the platform towards Venus with the fourth stage Zond rocket . On February 19, 7 days after launch at a distance of about two million km from Earth, contact with the spacecraft was lost. On May 19 and 20, 1961, Venera 1 passed within 100,000 km of Venus and entered a heliocentric orbit.

See also Timeline of planetary exploration