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&sq=&lang=&file=File:Akatsuki-1.jpg) A model of the spacecraft Akatsuki | |
| Names | Venus Climate Orbiter (VCO) PLANET-C |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Venus orbiter |
| Operator | JAXA |
| COSPAR ID | 2010-020D |
| SATCAT no. | 36576 |
| Website | JAXA JAXA Special Site |
| Mission duration | 13 years, 11 months |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | NEC Space Technologies |
| Launch mass | 517.6 kg (1,141 lb)[1] |
| Dry mass | 320 kg (710 lb) |
| Dimensions | 1.04 × 1.45 × 1.44 m (3.4 × 4.8 × 4.7 ft) |
| Power | >700 watts at 0.7 AU[1] |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 21 May 2010, 21:58:22 UTC[2] |
| Rocket | H-IIA 202 |
| Launch site | Tanegashima YLP-1 |
| End of mission | |
| Declared | 29 May 2024 |
| Last contact | April 2024 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Cytherocentric |
| Eccentricity | 0.971 |
| Pericytherion altitude | 1,000–10,000 km (620–6,210 mi)[3] |
| Apocytherion altitude | 370,000 km (230,000 mi)[3] |
| Inclination | 3.0° |
| Period | 10.8 days[4] |
| Flyby of Venus (failed insertion) | |
| Closest approach | 6 December 2010, 23:49:00 UTC |
| Distance | 550 kilometers (340 mi) |
| Venus orbiter | |
| Orbital insertion | 7 December 2015[5][6] |
PLANET series | |
Akatsuki (あかつき, 暁, "Dawn"), also known as the Venus Climate Orbiter (VCO) and Planet-C, was a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) space probe tasked with studying the atmosphere of Venus. It was launched aboard an H-IIA 202 rocket on 20 May 2010,[7] but failed to enter orbit around Venus on 6 December 2010. After the craft orbited the Sun for five years, engineers successfully placed it into an alternative Venusian elliptic orbit on 7 December 2015 by firing its attitude control thrusters for 20 minutes and made it the first Japanese satellite orbiting Venus.[5][6][8][9]
By using five different cameras working at several wavelengths, Akatsuki is studying the stratification of the atmosphere, atmospheric dynamics, and cloud physics.[10][11] Astronomers working on the mission reported detecting a possible gravity wave (not to be confused with gravitational waves) in Venus' atmosphere in December 2015.[12][13]
JAXA lost contact with the probe in late April 2024.[14]
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
Takeshi2011was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Stephen Clark (20 May 2010). "H-2A Launch Report – Mission Status Center". Spaceflight Now. Archived from the original on 20 May 2010. Retrieved 20 May 2010.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
jaxapdfwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
insertion TJTwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Szondy, David. "Akatsuki probe enters orbit around Venus". Retrieved 7 December 2015.
- ^ a b Clark, Stephan. "Japanese probe fires rockets to steer into orbit at Venus". Retrieved 7 December 2015.
- ^ Chris Bergin (20 May 2010). "AXA H-IIA carrying Akatsuki and IKAROS launches at second attempt". NASASpaceFlight. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
- ^ Limaye, Sanjay. "Live from Sagamihara: Akatsuki Orbit Insertion – Second Try". Retrieved 7 December 2015.
- ^ Wenz, John (21 September 2015). "Japan's Long Lost Venus Probe May Boom Back to Life". Popular Mechanics. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Nakamura_2011was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Exploring the Venusian Atmosphere – AKATSUKI/PLANET-C". Akatsuki Special Site. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
NYT-20170116was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
Fukuhara_2017was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Jones, Andrew (31 May 2024). "Japan loses contact with Akatsuki, humanity's only active Venus probe". space.com. Retrieved 4 October 2024.