Venus Express ends mission
Posted: Wed, Dec 24, 2014, 11:24 AM ET (1624 GMT)
The European Space Agency has declared its Venus Express mission at an end when the orbiting spacecraft ran out of propellant, the agency recently announced. Venus Express was raising its orbit in late November when controllers lost contract with the spacecraft. Efforts to restore communications were only partially successful. Project officials suspect that the spacecraft ran out of propellant during the orbit raising effort, which came after a series of aerobraking tests where the spacecraft flew through the upper atmosphere. ESA considered the mission, which had been in orbit around Venus since 2006, a great success.
The European Space Agency has declared its Venus Express mission at an end when the orbiting spacecraft ran out of propellant, the agency recently announced. Venus Express was raising its orbit in late November when controllers lost contract with the spacecraft. Efforts to restore communications were only partially successful. Project officials suspect that the spacecraft ran out of propellant during the orbit raising effort, which came after a series of aerobraking tests where the spacecraft flew through the upper atmosphere. ESA considered the mission, which had been in orbit around Venus since 2006, a great success.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Blue Origin describes plans for increased New Glenn launch rates
Posted: Sat, Oct 17 11:41 AM ET (1541 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Monday, October 19
On the way to a European lunar infrastructure: ESA awards OHB OASIS studies
OHB AG — 6:53 am ET (1053 GMT) Hera Mission Prepares for Follow-Up Asteroid Imaging
IEEE Spectrum — 6:53 am ET (1053 GMT) US threatens European companies over Starlink restrictions
Financial Times — 6:50 am ET (1050 GMT) Ukraine and the U.S. are at odds over Starshield. Here's what to know
NPR — 6:49 am ET (1049 GMT) Musk pledges 1 SpaceX share for every child in America
Axios — 6:44 am ET (1044 GMT) |
