The Soviet Space Programme had a tendency to send probes in supportive “pairs” (known as “Space Communism”). As the USSR was not interested in – or limited by – financial cost, the progressive technology generated through the use of Marxist-Leninist dialectics did not possess any material limitations premised upon monetary “profit”. Of course, modern Russia is “capitalist” and has not been able to replicate the innovation that came out of the Stalinist-era and the Soviet victory during WWII. Although the returning Soviet probe was launched in 1972 – the attitude is that “capitalist” Russia, if it had been able to retrieve the fallen probe, might well had benefitted from its decades-old technology! If you “click” on the link above – you will find my articles about the possibility that the Soviets discovered “life” on Venus!