Japan's Venus Probe "Akatsuki" Back to Work

Her main engine broke down and she gave up going into orbit around Venus six years ago. It's about the Venus Probe Akatsuki we once thought hopeless to save. Now, our technicians have done a marvelous job of reviving her, not only reviving but stretching her life over twice as long. This is Nathan Shiga and I have an exciting news from Japan. Read all about it.

Last year, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) succeeded in orbital adjustment last year to send the engine-paralyzed Venus probe Akatsuki into orbit around Venus. Her observation equipment all in order, Akatsuki can now stay up there a lot longer - over twice as long.

The probe had no sooner been launched six years than a trouble in her main engine made it hopeless to go into orbit around the planet. The agency tried to activate the small engine to challenge sending the probe into orbit and made it last December to send Japan's first probe into the orbit of a planet other than the earth.

Akatsuki had already expired her design life and the technicians wondered if her equipment will ever behave normally. A series of tests found all equipment in order and a full-scale observation is about to start.

A review on Akatsuki's flight path found an orbit bypassing the shade of Venus where solar power generation is disrupted. The agency is scheduled to effect an additional path adjustment April 4 afternoon by boosting the small engine for 15 seconds. If successful, this should elongate the life of Akatsuki from 800 to 2000 days.

The agency's research group expects this should bring home additional data on climatic characteristics of Venus.

The heroic voyage of Hayabusa II now heading for "Ryugu", planetoid 1999JU3, is another proud feat of Japan's space scientists. Bless Japan, folks - Japan is doing awfully well for her size in the race of space exploration.