What To Know
- The Japanese space agency (JAXA) recently lost contact with its Akatsuki spacecraft, dedicated to the study of Venus, which has been in overtime since 2018.
- In 2018, the mission was indeed extended beyond its primary objectives, demonstrating the robustness and innovative capacity of the mission team.
- NASA, the European Space Agency, India, and even a private mission are planning to send spacecraft to Venus in the coming years.
The Japanese space agency (JAXA) recently lost contact with its Akatsuki spacecraft, dedicated to the study of Venus, which has been in overtime since 2018. What exactly is happening?
A mission in peril
Akatsukiwhich means “dawn” in Japanese, was launched in 2010 with a budget of $300 million. Its main objective was to explore and understand the atmospheric and climatic conditions of Venus. From the start, things didn’t go as planned. The probe failed to enter orbit around Venus on its first attempt due to a main engine failure. However, the mission team showed perseverance and ingenuity. Five years after that failure, in 2015, Akatsuki finally managed to enter orbit around the planet, marking a major success for JAXA. Since then, Akatsuki has conducted valuable scientific researchsurpassing even the initial expectations of its mission. In 2018, the mission was indeed extended beyond its primary objectives, demonstrating the robustness and innovative capacity of the mission team. Last April, unfortunately, the Japanese space agency finally lost contact with its craft. This communication interruption occurred after a critical operation that placed Akatsuki in low-altitude stability control mode for an extended period. In other words, the probe could not maintain a stable orientationwhich is essential to keep its antenna pointed toward Earth. Without this precise orientation, Akatsuki cannot send or receive signalscutting off all ties with the ground teams. The JAXA team is now working hard to reestablish communication with Akatsuki, exploring multiple strategies and implementing innovative techniques to try to regain control of the probe. However, it is still unclear whether the mission can be salvaged.
Credits: StockByM / iStock
Renewed Interest in Venus
Venus has always fascinated scientists. And for good reason, although similar in size, it is nothing like our planet in terms of climate. Venus has indeed undergone an intense greenhouse effect that has gradually transformed this once temperate world in a hellish planet. Its trajectory, which is different from that of the Earth, therefore raises questions for researchers. In addition, recent surveys of potential biomarkers in its atmosphere have sparked renewed interest in this mysterious planet. As a result, several new missions are in the works. NASA, the European Space Agency, India, and even a private mission are planning to send spacecraft to Venus in the coming years. These missions will aim to continue Akatsuki’s work in answering crucial questions about the formation, evolution, and current conditions of Venus.
