Venus Express enters orbit
Posted: Tue, Apr 11, 2006, 6:24 PM ET (2224 GMT)
Venus Express, ESA's first mission to the planet Venus, entered orbit around the cloud-enshrouded world Tuesday. The spacecraft, launched in November 2005, fired its main engine for 50 minutes started at 3:17 am EDT (0717 GMT), slowing the spacecraft by 4,00 km/h and allowing it to be captured into orbit by Venus. The spacecraft, currently in an elliptical orbit, will perform a series of maneuvers to move into its final polar orbit at an altitude of 66,000 km. Venus Express will spend two Venusian days (486 Earth days) studying the planet's dense atmosphere. Venus Express uses much of the same hardware as ESA's successful Mars Express, although with different instruments and other adaptations to accommodate studies of Venus.
Venus Express, ESA's first mission to the planet Venus, entered orbit around the cloud-enshrouded world Tuesday. The spacecraft, launched in November 2005, fired its main engine for 50 minutes started at 3:17 am EDT (0717 GMT), slowing the spacecraft by 4,00 km/h and allowing it to be captured into orbit by Venus. The spacecraft, currently in an elliptical orbit, will perform a series of maneuvers to move into its final polar orbit at an altitude of 66,000 km. Venus Express will spend two Venusian days (486 Earth days) studying the planet's dense atmosphere. Venus Express uses much of the same hardware as ESA's successful Mars Express, although with different instruments and other adaptations to accommodate studies of Venus.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Thursday, April 2
Europe to negotiate with NASA on lunar missions: ESA
AFP — 5:42 am ET (0942 GMT) Starlink gains just 3,500 users after 8 months in Bangladesh
The Daily Star (Bangladesh) — 5:41 am ET (0941 GMT) U.S. Space Force chief: Fiscal 2027 budget will reflect ‘aspirations’ for rapidly growing the service
Aerospace America — 5:38 am ET (0938 GMT) On Victory Lap, USSF Chief Charts Service’s Course
Aviation Week — 5:38 am ET (0938 GMT) One Year In, Work on Space Force Partners Strategy Just Beginning
National Defense Magazine — 5:37 am ET (0937 GMT) |
