Akatsuki probe enters Venus orbit

Akatsuki probe enters Venus orbit

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maffski

Original Poster:

1,868 posts

161 months

Tuesday 8th December 2015
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In December 2010 the Akatsuki probe should have entered Venus orbit, but a main engine failure did for that.

After five years waiting for the probe to rejoin Venus they have now managed to enter orbit using the thrusters originally intended for orbital manoeuvring.

Hopefully the instruments are still able to work, as the original mission only had a lifetime of a couple of years, plus the heat from an approach to the sun.

Impressive dedication - http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/12/07/akatsuki_s...