Japan Space Probe Reaches Venus

[Robbien]

Source: CBS News/AP

(CBS/AP) A Japanese probe reached Venus on Tuesday and prepared to enter orbit on a two-year mission that would mark a major milestone for Japan's space program and could shed light on the climate of Earth's mysterious neighbor.

The probe, called Akatsuki, which means "dawn," would be the first Japan has ever placed into orbit around another planet and comes after the country recently brought a probe back from a trip to an asteroid.

<snip>

Akatsuki, which was launched May 20, is designed to monitor volcanic activity on Venus and provide data on its thick cloud cover and climate, including whether the planet has lightning. The probe is equipped with infrared cameras and other instruments to carry out its mission.


The 25-billion-yen ($300-million) project is supposed to maintain an elliptical orbit around Venus, ranging from passes 190 miles (300 kilometers) from the planet's surface to outer swings 50,000 miles (80,000 kilometers) away that will allow it to comprehensively monitor weather patterns.


Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/12/07/tech/main7125369.shtml

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Nice to see a country using funds on scientific expeditions rather than spending it all on wars and bankster bailouts.

[Deep13]

1. Neato. Venus is cool.

And by "cool," I mean 900 degrees Fahrenheit. And there's almost no change the probe will be eaten by Gamera.

[The Doctor.]

12. I think we have more to worry about

from King Ghidorah! (who destroyed Venus, thereby making this whole expedition pointless)

[Octafish]

19. Venus is rain.

I go by Bradbury and run to the nearest Sundome.

[Mimosa]

2. Isn't that about the temperature of a KILN?

While America's been doing war...Japan has been doing explore.

[mbperrin]

3. It IS nice to know somebody out there is still rational.

As the US discards its space program and rents space from the Russians...

[tridim]

4. We still spend more on space exploration than any other country.

And we have the satellite hardware and resulting data to prove it.

I don't understand your comment. :shrug:

[Robbien]

6. Spending tons for

Satellite surveillance hardware used mainly for war and security purposes is not exploration.

[tridim]

7. We spend more on EXPLORATION than any other country.

I didn't say anything about spying.

[enlightenment]

15. Tridem, why do you do this?

You're right - why not just provide a link and let the evidence speak for itself instead of simply making pronouncements like the Oracle of Delphi? You could, for example, point out that we also have a research mission named 'Dawn' that is going to orbit not one, but two planetary bodies, Vesta and Ceres.

Unnecessarily argumentative, really. Why do you do it?

http://www.nasa.gov/missions/current/index.html

[rayofreason]

14. tridim is correct

THEMIS, IBEX, STEREO, LRO, SDO, DAWN - these are just some of the scientific missions launched in recent years.

Google any of the these acronyms followed by "NASA" to get more info. Or go to http://www.nasa.gov/missions/current/index.html

That Japan launched a mission to Venus is such big news is because such a mission is novel for the Japanese. For us, it would just one more in a large lineup of space missions looking back at Earth and its environment (including geospace), going to other worlds, as well as looking out of our solar system into the broader universe.

Unfortunately, most people don't know about our space science program because (with Mars excepted), it does not make good copy for the MSM (or at least they don't think that it will). That leads to uninformed notions that we are not active in space science when in fact the US space science community is far and away the leader in the world.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

5. Japanese probes are too short to reach Uranus.

:yoiks:

[tridim]

13. Ouch.

:rofl:

[NickB79]

17. Naa, they can reach it, but they just can't penetrate very far down

:evilgrin:

[Ian David]

8. I hope they don't have whales on Venus. n/t

[Ian David]

9. When it comes back, it will fight Steve Austin.

[Uncle Joe]

10. Congratulations to Japan.

:thumbsup:

Thanks for the thread, Robbien.

[slackmaster]

11. Money well spent indeed

And they make such bloody good cameras.

[and-justice-for-all]

16. Most civilized countries have the shit in order....

unfortunately for the states....

[sgsmith]

18. Except no one knows the spacecraft's condition and orbit

Took longer than expected to get radio communications after passing around Venus, and is apparently in safe mode. Very little news has been updated on this mission.

http://www.universetoday.com/81516/akatsuki-encounters-problems-at-venus/