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Article: European Space Agency probe goes into orbit around Venus on mission to explore atmosphere
- Article from:
- AP Worldstream
- Article date:
- April 11, 2006
- Author:
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MELISSA EDDY, Associated Press Writer
AP Worldstream
04-11-2006
Dateline: DARMSTADT, Germany
A European space probe successfully reached orbit around Venus Tuesday on a mission to explore the mysterious atmosphere of Earth's nearest planetary neighbor.
Mission controllers at the European Space Agency control center in Darmstadt cheered, clapped and embraced after they picked up the signal from the Venus Express craft indicating it had completed the orbital maneuver.
The probe disappeared behind the planet for roughly 10 minutes, leaving controllers without contact as it swung around the back of the planet, whose hot, dense atmosphere the mission plans to explore.
"It's a fantastic mission for ...