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
|
|
House appropriators seeking alternatives to SLS EUS upper stage
Posted: Sun, Jul 27 12:52 PM ET (1652 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Tuesday, July 29
Firefly Aerospace Announces Launch of Initial Public Offering
Firefly Aerospace — 6:57 am ET (1057 GMT) Secret spaceplane heading back to orbit to test new tech
Defense One — 6:54 am ET (1054 GMT) USSF To Test Laser Links, Quantum Sensor On New X-37B Mission
Aviation Week — 6:54 am ET (1054 GMT) U.S. Space Force Taps Five Vendors For Protected Satcom Designs
Aviation Week — 6:53 am ET (1053 GMT) US Space Force kills protected satcom programme, consolidates effort
Jane's — 6:53 am ET (1053 GMT) |
