Early this morning, the ESA's newest interplanetary explorer, Venus Express, was launched from the Baikonur Air base in Russia atop a Soyuz-Fregat rocket. The Venus Express is the European Space Agency's first mission to Earth's nearest planetary neighbor, Venus.
The mission was born after ESA asked for proposals in March 2001, suggesting how it could reuse the design of the Mars Express spacecraft. This highly successful spacecraft is currently in orbit around Mars and is sending back the clearest photographs ever taken of our reddish neighbor.
The guidelines for the proposed spacecraft were extremely strict. The mission would have to develop quickly because it had to reuse the same design as Mars Express, and utilize the same industrial teams that worked on that mission.
Also, it would also have to be ready to fly in 2005.
From a number of promising proposals, ESA selected a plan that has since been named "Venus Express". What made the winning proposal especially attractive was that many of the spare instruments (duplicates) developed for ESA's Mars Express and Rosetta missions could be used to achieve Venus Express's science objective - to study the atmosphere in great detail.
On the launch pad, surrounded by the unretracted superstructure.
The past two weeks saw the ESA going through a seesaw of emotions as the launch, originally scheduled for October 26th, was delayed with the new date initially uncertain, then set for November 9th. The pressure to lauch was made worse by the fact that Venus Express had only a narrow launch window, which closes November 24th - a suitable window would not have opened again until late in 2006! All of this is moot however, as the ESA's spacecraft is now well on its way to Venus.
Why Venus?
Venus is the Earth's nearest planetary neighbor. It draws twice as close to our planet as Mars ever does. In terms of size and mass, Venus is Earth's twin. Yet it has evolved in a radically different manner, with a surface temperature hotter than a kitchen oven, and a choking mixture of noxious gases for an atmosphere. Venus Express will make unique studies of this uninviting atmosphere.
Approaching 'capture' orbit - Artist's impression.
Article comments
1 - Eric Berlin
Great stuff, Bennett. I'm glad to see other nations or groups of nations taking up the call to space. I hope that the U.S. will one day again make a significant investment in its space program, and science in general!
2 - DJRadiohead
Despite my close connection to the International Space Station (it like pays the bills) I am somewhat hard pressed to disagree with Dr. Griffin. Exploration should have always been more the goal. I think the Space Station was a good idea and if we were committed in this country to an aggressive and comprehensive space program we could do some very cool things with it. That said, I like the idea of looking outward again.
I can't wait to see what comes back from this. I didn't realize how much closer Venus gets to us than Mars. I think this is excellent.
3 - Bennett
DJR - You refer of course to the intense series of layoffs at NASA, and the elimination of dozens of the life science programs that have been scheduled for the ISS.
This is a tough call for sure. Given a mandate, and a limited budget, Dr. Griffin is making some difficult (and highly critisized) cuts to the ISS in what we hope will be the near term. With some of these programs to be taken up later, or eventually - by other member nations.
Faced with pressure to retire the shuttle but to build another ELV before the shuttle retires?
Echhhh.
We're gonna watch this man age before our very eyeholes, and I hope every day that he's able to pull it off. If it weren't for China getting into the race and stating clearly that it's on the way to a lunar base, I'd think this was a plot to shut down NASA.
Cheers!
4 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Bennett, once again, just a joy to read your stuff. i ain't gettin all touchy-feely, least not with the hair this ungodly, just the facts of the case. and here's hopin those images get sent this direction!
5 - me from here
i dont get this at all