1. Venus Express Department of Physics National Tsing Hua University G.T. Chen 2006/5/11

3. Venus Express – First European Mission to Venus Venus Express is a follow on from the Mars Express mission. It had been launched on 9 Nov. 2005 After a 153 day trip to Venus, the spacecraft entered Venusian orbit on 11 April 2006. It reached final operational orbit on 7 May 2006.

4. LAUNCH DATE : 09-Nov-2005 03:33 UT

9. InstrumentObjective ASPERA-4Neutral and ionized plasma analysis MAGMagnetic field measurements PFSAtmospheric vertical sounding by infrared Fourier spectroscopy SPICAVAtmospheric spectrometry by star or Sun occultation VeRaRadio sounding of atmosphere VIRTISSpectrographic mapping of atmosphere and surface VMCUltraviolet and visible imaging

10. Scientific Purposes Atmospheric dynamics Atmospheric structure Atmospheric composition and chemistry Cloud layer and hazes Radiative balance Surface properties and geology Plasma environment and escape processes

11. Venus Express It will gather data for a planned 500 Earth days (about two Venusian years). At its closest, it will reach an altitude of 250 kilometers and at its furthest, it will be 66000 kilometers away from the planet.

12. 12 April,2006 Taken by VMC

13. 12 April,2006 Taken by VIRTIS

14. Reference http://spaceflightnow.com/news/ 1 2

15. >>Thank you >Thank you<<

17. Questions: What are the global characteristics of the atmosphere? How does it circulate? How does the composition of the atmosphere change with depth? How does the atmosphere interact with the surface? How does the upper atmosphere interact with the solar wind?

18. Objectives: What is the mechanism and what is the driving force of the super-rotation of the atmosphere? What are the basic processes in the general circulation of the atmosphere? What is the composition and chemistry of the lower atmosphere and the clouds? What is the past and present water balance in the atmosphere? What is the role of the radiative balance and greenhouse effect in the past present and future evolution of the planet? Is there currently volcanic activity on the planet?

19. Golubkina crater on Venus Golubkina crater on Venus

20. Golubkina crater Golubkina crater on Venus is 34 kilometres in diameter. Studying the number and size of craters on Venus proves that the surface of the planet is only 500 million years old. Scientists believe that some kind of volcanic catastrophe, 500 million years ago, spilled molten lava across the entire surface of the planet destroying all the older crater

21. ASPERA-4Analyser of Space Plasmas and Energetic Atoms MAGMagnetometer PFSPlanetary Fourier Spectrometer SPICAV Spectroscopy for Investigation of Characteristics of the Atmosphere of Venus VeRaVenus Radio Science VIRTISVisible and Infrared Thermal Imaging Spectrometer VMCVenus Monitoring Camera