Europe’s Venus probe enters orbit

The European Space Agency’s Venus Express has successfully completed its first important mission since being launched from Kazakhstan last November. After a journey of 400 million kilometres, the probe has slowed down and gone into orbit around Venus, the second planet from the sun.

Some scientists believe there may once have been life on Venus. They hope to obtain clues about greenhouse conditions on the planet and whether any comparisons about global warming on Earth can be drawn. Venus Express will spend 486 earth days – equivalent to only two Venus days – orbiting the planet.

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