Last November, a European probe took off on a 250-million mile trip to visit Earth’s nearest neighbor, Venus. The European Space Agency Venus Express team is now standing by as it waits for the probe to touch down tomorrow. The mission’s first, and most important, objective is the Venus Orbit Insertion maneuver. This task involves a series of telecommands, engine burns and other movements to slow the 2,799-pound spacecraft so it can enter orbit around Earth’s sister planet. The process will take about an hour.
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Venus Gets a Visitor
Posted by: Meryl K. Evans April 10, 2006 01:21 PMLast November, a European probe took off on a 250-million mile trip to visit Earth’s nearest neighbor, Venus. The European Space Agency Venus Express team is now standing by as it waits for the probe to touch down tomorrow. The mission’s first, and most important, objective is the Venus Orbit Insertion maneuver. This task involves a series of telecommands, engine burns and other movements to slow the 2,799-pound spacecraft so it can enter orbit around Earth’s sister planet. The process will take about an hour.