Which country launched its first environmental research satellite named "Venus" (also written as Venµs) to monitor vegetation and environmental changes from space?

Introduction / Context:
This question refers to a specific space mission focused on environmental research. Many countries launch satellites for communication, navigation and earth observation. The satellite named "Venus" or "Venµs" was a collaborative environmental research mission, and knowing which country counts it as its first environmental research satellite is useful for questions on space technology and international cooperation in science.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The satellite is called "Venus" (Venµs).
• Its purpose is environmental and vegetation research from space.
• The question asks which country launched its first environmental research satellite with this name.
• Options are Russia, India, China and Israel.

Concept / Approach:
To answer, we must recall recent space missions and the countries associated with them. The Venµs satellite is known as a joint project between Israel and France, with Israel taking it as its first dedicated environmental research satellite. The approach is to understand that when the question says "its first environmental research satellite," it is pointing to the country that highlights Venµs as a landmark mission in its own space programme, which is Israel.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that India's environmental and remote sensing satellites usually carry the IRS (Indian Remote Sensing) series names or similar, not the name Venus. Step 2: Russia and China have launched many earth observation satellites, but the specific name Venus/Venµs is not widely associated with their programmes. Step 3: Recall that Israel's space agency, in collaboration with France, launched Venµs as a satellite dedicated to monitoring vegetation, agriculture and environmental changes using multispectral imaging. Step 4: This mission has been described in Israel's context as its first environmental research satellite, making Israel the correct answer. Step 5: Hence, among the choices, Israel fits the description perfectly.

Verification / Alternative check:
A quick verification method is to list each country's better known satellite families: India has IRS and Cartosat, Russia has Resurs and other series, China has Gaofen and Fengyun, while Israel is known for satellites like Ofek and Venµs in partnership with France. Only Israel lines up with the Venµs name and the "first environmental research satellite" description.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Russia: While a major space power, its environmental satellites do not include a mission named Venus/Venµs as its first environmental research satellite.
India: India has its own extensive remote sensing programme, but the name Venµs is not part of the Indian satellite naming tradition; therefore this option is incorrect.
China: China runs many earth observation satellites, yet the mission referenced in this question is explicitly associated with Israel and France, not China.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates may guess Russia or China simply because they are large spacefaring nations. Another pitfall is to confuse the name Venus with planetary missions to the planet Venus, which involve other space agencies and different spacecraft. It is important to pay attention to the exact spelling Venµs and the environmental research context, which clearly points to the Israeli mission.

Final Answer:
The first environmental research satellite named "Venus" (Venµs) belongs to Israel.