Venera 8 was a Soviet space probe launched on March 27, 1972, designed to study the planet Venus. It successfully landed on Venus on July 22, 1972, and transmitted data back to Earth for about 50 minutes before succumbing to the harsh conditions. The probe measured atmospheric pressure, temperature, and chemical composition, revealing that Venus has a thick atmosphere primarily composed of carbon dioxide. The data collected by Venera 8 contributed significantly to our understanding of Venus's extreme environment and helped shape future missions to the planet.