# On This Day: Europe's Venus Express Mission Launched in 2005 The historic mission marked Europe's first successful orbital exploration of the planet Venus. - **Source:** [Space.com](https://www.space.com) - **Published:** 2026-11-08 - **Topic:** [science](https://brifing.si/c/science) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/4578d4df-1731-46dd-abc0-e258c543282f ## Historic Launch Milestone On November 8, 2005, the European Space Agency launched the Venus Express spacecraft. This mission marked Europe's first successful attempt to send a probe to study Venus. By achieving this, Europe became the third global organization to reach the planet, following the United States and the Soviet Union in historical exploration efforts. ## Surviving Harsh Conditions Venus is a hothouse planet characterized by extreme atmospheric pressure capable of crushing unprotected spacecraft. Despite these hostile conditions, the Venus Express probe successfully operated for over nine years. The spacecraft had to endure intense radiation while maintaining its orbit, proving the durability of European engineering in deep space exploration environments. ## Scientific Discoveries Made During its extended mission, the probe identified a mysterious vortex swirling around the south pole of Venus. It also captured data suggesting the presence of active volcanoes on the surface. Furthermore, the spacecraft discovered that the planet generates its own unique auroras when solar particles interact with charged atmospheric particles. ## Final Atmospheric Descent Late in the mission, controllers commanded the spacecraft to dip into the dense Venusian clouds, a maneuver it was not originally designed to perform. The probe executed the task effectively for a time. However, it eventually stopped responding to commands and burned up in the planet's atmosphere in January 2015. ## Understanding Planetary Evolution Studying Venus provides critical insights into how Earth-like planets change over time. Scientists believe Venus may have once hosted habitable oceans before transforming into its current inhospitable state. This research helps experts model climate shifts and understand why some planets become lush worlds while others turn into sweltering, extreme environments. ## Cautionary Climate Tale Venus serves as a cautionary tale regarding how dramatically a planet's climate can shift. By analyzing the atmospheric data gathered by Venus Express, researchers can better understand the forces that shape planetary habitability. This knowledge is vital for identifying what makes planets temperate versus those that become permanent, uninhabitable hothouses. ## Legacy of Exploration The success of Venus Express paved the way for subsequent international missions to the inner solar system. Five years after the European launch, Japan's JAXA became the fourth organization to reach Venus. This collaborative spirit in space exploration continues to expand our collective knowledge of the galaxy's diverse planetary systems. ## Ongoing Scientific Interest The European Space Agency returned to the vicinity of Venus in 2018 during the BepiColombo mission. This joint project with JAXA utilized the planet's gravity to redirect its trajectory toward Mercury. Such maneuvers highlight the continued utility of Venus as a gravitational assist point for deep space exploration missions today. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.space.com/space-exploration/on-this-day-in-space-november-8-2026 — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._