Venus ExpressVenus Express

Department of PhysicsDepartment of PhysicsNational Tsing Hua UniversityNational Tsing Hua University

G.T. ChenG.T. Chen2006/5/112006/5/11

Venus Express – Venus Express – First European Mission to First European Mission to

VenusVenus

• Venus Express is a follow on from the Mars Express mission.

• It had been launched on 9 Nov. 2005• After a 153 day trip to Venus, the spacecr

aft entered Venusian orbit on 11 April 2006.

• It reached final operational orbit on 7 May 2006 .

LAUNCH DATE :

09-Nov-2005 03:33 UT

Instrument Objective

ASPERA-4 Neutral and ionized plasma analysis

MAG Magnetic field measurements

PFS Atmospheric vertical sounding by infrared Fourier spectroscopy

SPICAV Atmospheric spectrometry by star or Sun occultation

VeRa Radio sounding of atmosphere

VIRTIS Spectrographic mapping of atmosphere and surface

VMC Ultraviolet and visible imaging

Scientific PurposesScientific Purposes• Atmospheric dynamics• Atmospheric structure• Atmospheric composition and chemistry• Cloud layer and hazes• Radiative balance• Surface properties and geology• Plasma environment and escape processes

Venus ExpressVenus Express• It will gather data for a planned 500 Eart

h days (about two Venusian years).• At its closest, it will reach an altitude of 2

50 kilometers and at its furthest, it will be 66000 kilometers away from the planet.

12 April ,2006

Taken by VMC

12 April ,2006

Taken by VIRTIS

ReferenceReference• http://spaceflightnow.com/news/

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>>Thank you<<>>Thank you<<

Questions:Questions:• What are the global characteristics of th

e atmosphere? • How does it circulate?• How does the composition of the atmos

phere change with depth? • How does the atmosphere interact with

the surface? • How does the upper atmosphere interac

t with the solar wind?

Objectives:Objectives:• What is the mechanism and what is the driving force o

f the super-rotation of the atmosphere?• What are the basic processes in the general circulatio

n of the atmosphere?• What is the composition and chemistry of the lower at

mosphere and the clouds?• What is the past and present water balance in the atm

osphere?• What is the role of the radiative balance and greenhou

se effect in the past present and future evolution of the planet?

• Is there currently volcanic activity on the planet?

Golubkina crater on Venus Golubkina crater on Venus

Golubkina craterGolubkina crater• Golubkina crater on Venus is 34 kilometres in

diameter. Studying the number and size of craters on Venus proves that the surface of the planet is only 500 million years old. Scientists believe that some kind of volcanic catastrophe, 500 million years ago, spilled molten lava across the entire surface of the planet destroying all the older crater

ASPERA-4 Analyser of Space Plasmas and Energetic Atoms

MAG Magnetometer

PFS Planetary Fourier Spectrometer

SPICAVSpectroscopy for Investigation of Characteristics of

the Atmosphere of Venus

VeRa Venus Radio Science

VIRTISVisible and Infrared Thermal Imaging

Spectrometer

VMC Venus Monitoring Camera