JAXA terminates operations of Venus Climate Orbiter Akatsuki

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) executed termination procedures for the Venus Climate Orbiter "Akatsuki" (PLANET-C) at 9:00 AM JST on 18 September 2025, formally ending the probe’s operations. JAXA's action completes operational control and initiates the mission closeout process.

Discovered 2025-09-20T11:21:19.997231-07:00 | 2025-09-20T11:21:19.997231-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • Ends operations of a long-running Japanese Venus science asset, triggering data archiving and formal mission closeout procedures that affect access to legacy observations.
  • Signals a shift in JAXA program activity and resource allocation as the agency pursues new projects, including its move to join ESA’s Rapid Apophis flyby.
  • Follows a recent pattern of mission terminations and loss declarations—such as NASA ending the Lunar Trailblazer mission—that underscore lifecycle and risk-management realities for space science programs.

Reported By

astrospace.it Phys.org Universe Today
Sources Tracked
3
First Seen
2025-09-20T11:21:19.997231-07:00
Latest Update
2025-09-23T01:44:43.625162-07:00
Coverage
Space

Sources

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