The Japanese space agency, JAXA, has lost contact with its Venus spacecraft, Akatsuki. The spacecraft, which has been studying Venus’ climate since 2015, has been experiencing problems with its attitude control system. JAXA is currently attempting to reestablish communication with the spacecraft.
Akatsuki is Japan’s only active spacecraft currently in orbit around Venus. The spacecraft has been providing valuable data on Venus’ climate and atmospheric dynamics. JAXA is hopeful that it can restore contact with the spacecraft and continue its mission.
The loss of contact with Akatsuki is a setback for JAXA, but it is not the end of the road for Venus exploration. Other countries, including the United States, Russia, and India, are planning missions to Venus in the coming years. These missions will help to answer some of the big questions about Venus, such as why it has such a thick atmosphere and why it is so hot.
Venus is the second planet from the sun. It is often called Earth’s sister planet because it is similar in size and mass to Earth. However, Venus is a very different planet from Earth. It has a thick atmosphere that is made up mostly of carbon dioxide. This atmosphere traps heat, making Venus the hottest planet in the solar system. Venus also has a very high surface pressure, which is about 90 times the surface pressure on Earth.
Akatsuki was launched in 2010. It arrived at Venus in 2015 and entered orbit around the planet. The spacecraft has been studying Venus’ climate and atmospheric dynamics ever since. Akatsuki has made some important discoveries about Venus, including the fact that the planet has a super-rotating atmosphere. This means that the atmosphere rotates faster than the planet itself.
Akatsuki has also detected signs of water vapor in Venus’ atmosphere. This discovery is important because it suggests that Venus may have once been a habitable planet. However, the water vapor on Venus is now locked in the planet’s atmosphere, and it is not clear if it is still possible for life to exist on the planet.
The loss of contact with Akatsuki is a setback for Venus exploration, but it is not the end of the road. Other countries are planning missions to Venus in the coming years, and these missions will help to answer some of the big questions about this enigmatic planet.
