One Earth year has elapsed since Akatsuki entered the orbit around Venus!
The Venus Climate Orbiter Akatsuki has spent one Earth year in orbit around Venus since it entered the orbit in 2015. To commemorate this, we have a message for everyone from the project manager, Prof. Masato Nakamura.
Thanks to everyone's support, Akatsuki, which successfully entered the orbit around Venus last winter, reached one Earth year of collecting data on December 7. Since entering orbit, the spacecraft has been maneuvered for its orbital correction twice and will not need to change orbit again until winter of 2018. Akatsuki continues to obtain images of Venus from five cameras and radio science data using ultra-stable oscillator and sending that to Earth.
Scientists the world over have applauded Akatsuki's fantastic results. Going forward, we intend to continue obtaining data for as long as possible and work together as a team to solve the riddle of how super rotation works, which is the central objective of the mission. We could think of no greater honor than your continuing to follow Akatsuki's progress with interest.
Masato Nakamura, Project Manager