After eight years in orbit, ESA's Venus Express has completed routine science observations and is preparing for a daring plunge into the planet's hostile atmosphere. Venus Express was launched on 9 November 2005, and arrived at Venus on 11 April 2006. Credit: ESA It has been orbiting Venus in an elliptical 24-hour loop that takes it from a distant 66 000 km over the south pole -- affording incredible global views -- to an altitude of around 250 km above the surface at the north pole, close to the top of the planet's atmosphere. With a suite of seven instruments, the spacecraft has provided a comprehensive study of the ionosphere, atmosphere and surface of Venus.
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