Venus Express

The mission

Europe’s first mission to Venus, providing an unprecedented global picture of our nearest planetary neighbour. In particular, it investigated Venus's noxious atmosphere and clouds in detail, and mapped the planet’s surface temperatures.

The journey

Launch date: 9 November 2005
Launch vehicle: Soyuz-Fregat launcher
Venus arrival: 11 April 2006
Mission end: December 2014

Venus Express Archive

The mission

The journey

Venus Express mated to Soyuz

Venus Express set for transport to launcher assembly buildi…

Venus Express ready for lift-off

Venus Express Flight Control Team

Venus Express mated with upper-stage

Project Scientist: An interview with Håkan Svedhem

Venus Express ready for 'mating' with upper-stage

Venus Express propellant loading completed

Venus Express gets wings

ESA’s new deep-space antenna in Cebreros becomes a reality

Tracking Europe's visitor to Venus

Venus Express electrical tests complete

Venus Express propulsion and electrical system tests

Venus Express arrives in Baikonur

Venus Express launch campaign starts

Venus Express spacecraft is complete

Once in a lifetime: the Venus transit 2004

Launch Campaign Manager: An interview with Michael Witting

Project Manager: An interview with Don McCoy

Spacecraft Operations Manager: An interview with Andrea Ac…

First Mars, then Venus!

Greenhouse effects... also on other planets

No shortage of mysteries on Venus

No more doubts about ESA's Venus Express!

Venus Express comes into Cosmic Vision