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Operation of the Venus orbiter Akatsuki discontinued
1.10.2025
Translation: machine translated
After communication with the Japanese Venus orbiter broke off in April 2024 and could not be re-established, the mission has now officially come to an end. The probe was used to explore the atmosphere of Venus and made a number of discoveries.
The Japanese space agency JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) has announced that it is ceasing operations of the space probe Akatsuki (PLANET-C) after 15 years. The probe was used for many years to explore the atmosphere of Venus from an orbit around the planet. It provided images of Venus and countless measurement data. The probe officially ceased operations on 18 September 2025.
Akatsuki (Japanese for dawn) was launched on 21 May 2010 and arrived in orbit around our inner neighbour in December 2015. For more than eight years, it provided information on the atmosphere of Venus. Several cameras were used, which were sensitive in the infrared, visual and ultraviolet. Akatsuki was able to analyse the composition of Venus' atmosphere, lightning and volcanic activity.
In addition to impressive images of the planet, the highlights of the mission include a number of scientific discoveries. Among other things, the probe was able to record the temperature distribution in the Venusian atmosphere at altitudes between 40 and 85 kilometres for the entire planet. The phenomenon «Superrotation» was also studied with Akatsuki. The term refers to the fact that Venus' atmosphere rotates around 60 times faster than the solid surface of Venus. In 2020, Akatsuki recorded a tidal wave travelling through the Venusian atmosphere, which is responsible for the high circulation. This wave phenomenon is triggered by radiation from the sun.
Communication with Akatsuki was lost in April 2024. Contact has not been re-established since then. In view of the probe's already exceeded lifespan, the Japanese space agency decided to end the mission.
Spectrum of Science
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Original article on Spektrum.de
Header image: © Akihiro Ikeshita / Jaxa / Conceptual image of Akatsuki having reached Venus and using reverse thrust to enter orbit around Venus (detail)
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