Japan just missed Venus
The Japanese Akatsuki spacecraft failed to enter into orbit around Venus on Monday as planned. If the craft can remain alive for seven more years, it will have another chance. The Japanese space program ends the year on a down note in contrast to the big boost from the successful and heroic effort to bring the Hayabusa probe back to earth last June: /– Japanese spacecraft fails to enter orbit around Venus – Spaceflight Now /– Japanese Spacecraft Misses Venus – SPACE.com /– Venus Climate Orbiter ‘AKATSUKI’ Venus Observation Orbit Injection (VOI-1) Result – JAXA