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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
Akatsuki has failed to enter Venus orbit
There is a press briefing happening right now in Japan, and it's terrible news: Akatsuki failed to enter Venus orbit.
Akatsuki update: safe mode, still talking to Earth, but slowly
A press release (PDF) was posted in Japanese on the Akatsuki website this morning with some official information on the mission status. Here is a translation of the text.
Akatsuki enters orbit at Venus today!
In just a few hours, Venus will have a second orbiter. Japan's Akatsuki is due to start firing its orbit insertion engines on December 7.
Something has not gone right with Akatsuki, but they have communications
I was unable to follow Akatsuki's entry into Venus orbit in real time due to family obligations. Checking in now, about four hours after it was to have entered orbit, it seems that something did not go correctly, but not much information is available.
Taking things slowly with IKAROS sail deployment
Planetary Society Executive Director Lou Friedman was at JAXA's Japanese Space Exploration Center to observe the deployment of IKAROS' solar sails.
Akatsuki captures goodbye shots of Earth
Three of Akatsuki's six science instruments have now checked in as operating normally, producing lovely photos of the receding homeworld.
All's well on IKAROS and Shin-en
Today JAXA posted a very brief mission status update on the IKAROS spacecraft, launched yesterday along with Akatsuki. Brief is good; all's well.
Akatsuki, IKAROS, UNITEC-1, and your names are on their way to Venus
It was a picture-perfect launch for three Venus-bound spacecraft this morning: the Akatsuki Venus orbiter, the IKAROS solar sail, and a university-built minisat named UNITEC-1.
Akatsuki and IKAROS new launch date set
According to the Akatsuki Twitter feed, the next try for launch of Akatsuki and IKAROS will be Thursday, May 20, at 21:58:22 UTC.
Akatsuki and IKAROS launch scrubbed due to weather
The countdown for the planned launch of Akatsuki and IKAROS got to about four minutes before they decided to cancel the attempt due to weather, and I can't blame them.
Photos of your names on the IKAROS spacecraft
IKAROS, Japan's solar sail, is nearly ready for launch, piggybacked behind the Venus orbiter Akatsuki.
Akatsuki and IKAROS getting ready for launch, with your names aboard
I've been so focused on the dramatic return of
Akatsuki arrives at Tanegashima Space Center
The Akatsuki spacecraft (also known as PLANET-C or Venus Climate Orbiter) arrived this evening, Japanese time, at the Tanegashima Space Center.
Send Your Name to Venus, now with a certificate!
I wrote a few weeks ago about a new Send Your Name to Venus campaign conducted by the Akatsuki mission. Now The Planetary Society has arranged with JAXA to collect names and messages on our website.
Send your name to Venus with Venus Climate Orbiter (PLANET-C), now known as Akatsuki
The Japanese space agency's science missions have an abundance of names. They start out with a programmatic name, like MUSES-A, PLANET-A, etc. -- which might be like calling NEAR
Exciting Times Ahead: 2010 Will Sizzle, and 2011 Will Really Cook!
Today, I'm kicking the week off with a look at the unusually intense confluence of far flung planetary exploration that's just around the corner, starting the middle of next year.