Akatsuki (Dawn), launched May 20, 2010, is a Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency spacecraft to study the Venusian atmosphere. The spacecraft was supposed to attain orbit over Venus in December 2010, but the maneuver failed. Akatsuki was placed in a heliocentric orbit.
A second orbital insertion burn was initiated in December 2015 and the maneuver was successful. Akatsuki began its operations in May 2016. Its mission has been extended through the end of 2020 and further missions may be possible.
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