The European Space Agency’s Venus Express spacecraft reached its final operational orbit around Venus on 7 May. The spacecraft’s instruments have been switched on one by one since then for detailed checking. Launched on 9 November 2005, Venus Express arrived at its destination on 11 April after a five-month journey to the inner solar system. The spacecraft then performed manoeuvres to reduce its apocentre and pericentre over the planet, until it reached its operational altitude.
Source: Flight International
