Tokyo, Japan – The Japanese space agency, JAXA, announced on Wednesday that it has lost communication with its Akatsuki spacecraft orbiting around Venus. This communication failure occurred as the spacecraft faced difficulties maintaining its attitude, indicating a possible thruster issue preventing it from orienting back towards Earth.
Efforts to restore communication have been ongoing since late April, but so far, no success has been achieved. JAXA stated that they are working on various measures to reestablish contact and will provide updates on further actions as decisions are made.
The potential loss of the Akatsuki spacecraft, weighing in at 320 kg, would mark the end of a remarkable mission that persevered after a significant setback a decade ago to successfully enter orbit around Venus. Furthermore, it would mean losing the only spacecraft currently orbiting Venus, leaving a gap in humanity’s observational capabilities.
Initially launched in 2010 as Japan’s first interplanetary mission in over a decade, the Akatsuki spacecraft faced challenges as its main engine failed to lower its orbit as planned. However, innovative solutions were developed, such as reducing the spacecraft’s mass by discarding oxidizer to enable the use of attitude control thrusters for inserting the vehicle into an elliptical orbit around Venus.
Following these adjustments, Akatsuki was successfully placed into orbit around the planet in 2016, allowing scientists to gather valuable data about Venus and its atmosphere. Despite facing odds, the mission was extended in 2018, continuing to provide insights until recently.
As the sole operational spacecraft at Venus, Akatsuki plays a crucial role in planetary exploration, with other missions in development without firm launch dates. Europe’s BepiColombo spacecraft, launched in 2018 with a mission cost of $2 billion, was expected to reach Venus, yet faced challenges with its solar-electric propulsion system.
Amid uncertainties surrounding BepiColombo’s mission, the fate of Akatsuki and the future of Venus exploration hang in the balance. With hopes of resolving these issues soon, the scientific community remains eager for updates on these critical missions.