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Japan's Akatsuki Mission Ends After Decade of Venus Exploration

9/21/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Japan's Akatsuki orbiter, launched on May 21, 2010, ended its mission on September 18, 2025, after losing contact in April 2024.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) found recovery efforts ineffective.
Akatsuki monitored Venus' atmosphere for nearly a decade, mapping clouds and measuring temperature profiles.
It carried messages of Miku Hatsune to space and exceeded its designed lifespan.
Future missions, including the Venus Life Finder in 2026, are planned, leaving Venus unobserved until then.

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Story summary

Japan's Akatsuki orbiter, launched on May 21, 2010, ended its mission on September 18, 2025, after losing contact in April 2024.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) found recovery efforts ineffective.
Akatsuki monitored Venus' atmosphere for nearly a decade, mapping clouds and measuring temperature profiles.
It carried messages of Miku Hatsune to space and exceeded its designed lifespan.
Future missions, including the Venus Life Finder in 2026, are planned, leaving Venus unobserved until then.