MOSCOW, October 5. /TASS/. Russian scientists may prepare several own missions for exploration of Venus, Scientific Director of the Russian Space Research Institute Lev Zeleny said at the Eleventh Moscow Solar System Symposium.

"Earlier we talked about only one mission, "Venera-D", now Roscosmos recommends that we move ahead. Taking into account the importance of Venus for science, we may have several missions to Venus. We are discussing it now, there may be two or even three of them," he said.

In the middle of May, the scientist told TASS that Russia would develop a new Venus exploration program, which would include sending at least three research vehicles to the planet. According to him, the first expedition within the program will be the "Venera-D" planned for late 2020s. The project will form part of the government space program. The previous comprehensive program for the study of Venus was implemented in the USSR. The scientist also told TASS that the Space Research Institute would begin work on the initial design of the "Venera-D" landing station in 2021.

Earlier, head of Russian space corporation Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin said that Russia plans to send its own mission to Venus in addition to the planned joint mission with the USA.

The space corporation stressed earlier that it is not refusing to cooperate with the US on the "Venera-D" project but refrains from the extended international cooperation on this mission.