Venus Express launch - 10th anniversary
November 09th, 2015
We are delighted to celebrate ten years since the launch of Venus Express on 9 Nov 2005.
After a 5-month cruise, the spacecraft arrived at Venus to carry out its 500-day nominal science mission. Yet it was over 3000 days later that it finally ran out of propellant and science operations had to finally come to an end.
Venus Express has left a rich scientific legacy; it has spurred a worldwide renaissance of scientific interest in Venus. Understanding the diversity of terrestrial planets and their evolution has proved a particularly relevant subject in an era of increasing recognition of climate change on our own planet, and the search for earthlike exoplanets.
The Venus Express mission also led to the development of European expertise in planetary research, in both ground-based and space-based astronomy, which are being continued with the support of the EuroVenus project.
Happy Birthday Venus Express!
After a 5-month cruise, the spacecraft arrived at Venus to carry out its 500-day nominal science mission. Yet it was over 3000 days later that it finally ran out of propellant and science operations had to finally come to an end.
Venus Express has left a rich scientific legacy; it has spurred a worldwide renaissance of scientific interest in Venus. Understanding the diversity of terrestrial planets and their evolution has proved a particularly relevant subject in an era of increasing recognition of climate change on our own planet, and the search for earthlike exoplanets.
The Venus Express mission also led to the development of European expertise in planetary research, in both ground-based and space-based astronomy, which are being continued with the support of the EuroVenus project.
Happy Birthday Venus Express!