Venus Express
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| Mission type | Venus orbiter |
|---|---|
| Operator | European Space Agency |
| COSPAR ID | 2005-045A |
| SATCAT no. | 28901 |
| Website | www |
| Mission duration | Planned: 2 years Actual: 9 years, 37 days |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | EADS Astrium |
| Launch mass | 1,270 kg (2,800 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 9 November 2005, 03:33:34 UTC |
| Rocket | Soyuz-FG/Fregat |
| Launch site | Baikonur 31/6 |
| Contractor | Starsem |
| End of mission | |
| Disposal | Deorbited |
| Last contact | 18 January 2015, 15:01:55 UTC |
| Decay date | January / February 2015 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Cytherocentric |
| Pericytherion | 460 km (290 mi) |
| Apocytherion | 63,000 km (39,000 mi) |
| Inclination | 90 degrees |
| Period | 24 hours |
| Venus orbiter | |
| Orbital insertion | 11 April 2006 |
 ESA solar system insignia for the Venus Express mission |
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Venus Express (VEX) was the first Venus exploration mission of the European Space Agency (ESA). Launched in November 2005, it arrived at Venus in April 2006 and began continuously sending back science data from its polar orbit around Venus. Equipped with seven scientific instruments, the main objective of the mission was the long term observation of the Venusian atmosphere. The observation over such long periods of time had never been done in previous missions to Venus, and was key to a better understanding of the atmospheric dynamics. It was hoped that such studies can contribute to an understanding of atmospheric dynamics in general, while also contributing to an understanding of climate change on Earth. ESA concluded the mission in December 2014.
The mission was proposed in 2001 to reuse the design of the Mars Express mission. However, some mission characteristics led to design changes: primarily in the areas of thermal control, communications and electrical power. For example, since Mars is approximately twice as far from the Sun as Venus, the radiant heating of the spacecraft is four times greater for Venus Express than Mars Express. Also, the ionizing radiation environment is harsher. On the other hand, the more intense illumination of the solar panels results in more generated photovoltaic power. The Venus Express mission also uses some spare instruments developed for the Rosetta spacecraft. The mission was proposed by a consortium led by D. Titov (Germany), E. Lellouch (France) and F. Taylor (United Kingdom).
The launch window for Venus Express was open from 26 October to 23 November 2005, with the launch initially set for 26 October 4:43 UTC. However, problems with the insulation from the Fregat upper stage led to a two-week launch delay to inspect and clear out the small insulation debris that migrated on the spacecraft. It was eventually launched by a Soyuz-FG/Fregat rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on 9 November 2005 at 03:33:34 UTC into a parking Earth orbit and 1 h 36 min after launch put into its transfer orbit to Venus. A first trajectory correction maneuver was successfully performed on 11 November 2005. It arrived at Venus on 11 April 2006, after 153 days of journey, and fired its main engine between 07:10:29 and 08:00:42 UTC SCET to reduce its velocity so that it could be captured by Venusian gravity into a nine-day orbit of 400 by 330,000 kilometres (250 by 205,050 mi). The burn was monitored from ESA's Control Centre, ESOC, in Darmstadt, Germany.
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