On November 8, 2005, Europe launched its first mission to Venus.
The spacecraft was called Venus Express. Venus is a hothouse planet. Lava flows on its surface, and the atmospheric pressure can easily crush an unprotected spacecraft. Even from orbit, Venus Express had to survive harsh radiation. But the spacecraft lasted for more than 9 years. During that time, it saw a weird vortex spiraling around Venus's south pole. It also saw possible signs of active volcanoes. Venus Express also discovered that the planet generates its own auroras. These auroras happen when particles from the sun hit charged particles in the atmosphere. Late in the Venus Express mission, controllers told the spacecraft to dip down into Venus's clouds — even though the spacecraft wasn't designed to do this. It performed well, but eventually it stopped listening to commands. The spacecraft burned up in the atmosphere in January 2015.
The spacecraft was called Venus Express. Venus is a hothouse planet. Lava flows on its surface, and the atmospheric pressure can easily crush an unprotected spacecraft. Even from orbit, Venus Express had to survive harsh radiation. But the spacecraft lasted for more than 9 years. During that time, it saw a weird vortex spiraling around Venus's south pole. It also saw possible signs of active volcanoes. Venus Express also discovered that the planet generates its own auroras. These auroras happen when particles from the sun hit charged particles in the atmosphere. Late in the Venus Express mission, controllers told the spacecraft to dip down into Venus's clouds — even though the spacecraft wasn't designed to do this. It performed well, but eventually it stopped listening to commands. The spacecraft burned up in the atmosphere in January 2015.
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TechTranscript
00:00On this day in space.
00:03On November 8th, 2005, Europe launched its first mission to Venus.
00:08The spacecraft was called Venus Express.
00:11Venus is a hot house planet.
00:13Lava flows on its surface, and the atmospheric pressure can easily crush an unprotected spacecraft.
00:18Even from orbit, Venus Express had to survive harsh radiation.
00:22But the spacecraft lasted for more than nine years.
00:25During that time, it saw a weird vortex spiraling around Venus' south pole.
00:29It also saw possible signs of active volcanoes.
00:33Venus Express also discovered that the planet generates its own auroras.
00:37These auroras happen when particles from the sun hit charged particles in the atmosphere.
00:41Late in the Venus Express mission, controllers told the spacecraft to dip down into Venus' clouds,
00:46even though the spacecraft wasn't designed to do this.
00:49It performed well, but eventually it stopped listening to commands.
00:53The spacecraft burned up in the atmosphere in January of 2015.
00:57And that's what happened on this day in space.
01:00Music.