{"id":52189,"date":"2025-09-20T03:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-19T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/?p=52189"},"modified":"2025-09-24T09:40:29","modified_gmt":"2025-09-24T00:40:29","slug":"japanese-space-probe-that-sent-miku-hatsune-into-space-ends-operations-15-years-later","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/news\/japanese-space-probe-that-sent-miku-hatsune-into-space-ends-operations-15-years-later\/","title":{"rendered":"Japanese space probe that “sent Miku Hatsune into space” ends operations 15 years later\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Japan’s Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced on September 18 that it has terminated operations of space probe Akatsuki, ITmedia<\/a> reports. The spacecraft, which studied the orbit of Venus for nearly a decade, is famous for \u201ctaking Miku Hatsune to space.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also known as the Venus Climate Orbiter, Akatsuki<\/a> was launched on May 21, 2010. Leading up to the big day, JAXA conducted a PR campaign inviting people from around the world to send handwritten messages and drawings they want to send to Venus. Amidst this, VOCALOID fans organized an initiative to send Miku Hatsune to space, gathering over 13,000 messages and illustrations of her. The messages were printed onto small aluminum plates and attached to the probe, serving as balance weights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
JAXA’s prototypes for Akatsuki’s Miku Hatsune plates (Image via Chodenzi<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Akatsuki had a turbulent journey \u2013 after it was launched, it suffered an engine failure and was unable to enter Venus\u2019s orbit. It wandered in space for five years before JAXA decided to replace the main engine with the secondary attitude control engine, which only had one-fifth of the thrust. Thanks to this, the probe was able to enter Venus\u2019s orbit and start observation of the planet\u2019s atmosphere and meteorology. Throughout the years, it took numerous valuable images and helped uncover insights into Venus\u2019s mysterious super-rotation.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

However, since 2024, JAXA became unable to establish communications with Akatsuki. Recovery missions were attempted, but with the Venus mission having far exceeded its designed duration, it was decided to bring operations to an end. Over on X, JAXA commented<\/a>: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have concluded operations of the Venus probe Akatsuki. Since last year we have been attempting to restore communications, but determined that recovery would be difficult, and so we have drawn this chapter to a close. We sincerely thank everyone who has supported Akatsuki over the 15 years since its launch.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related article: After promoting their game on a satellite in outer space, NIKKE\u2019s developers are stumped about what could possibly be next <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Akatsuki, a Japanese space probe with thousands of drawings of Miku Hatsune on it, has ceased operations after 15 years.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":55,"featured_media":52191,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_gspb_post_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3,65],"tags":[17],"class_list":["post-52189","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-nongaming-news","tag-japan-related-news"],"blocksy_meta":[],"yoast_head":"\nJapanese space probe that "sent Miku Hatsune into space" ends operations 15 years later\u00a0 - AUTOMATON WEST<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Akatsuki, a Japanese space probe with thousands of drawings of Miku Hatsune on it, has ceased operations after 15 years.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/news\/japanese-space-probe-that-sent-miku-hatsune-into-space-ends-operations-15-years-later\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Japanese space probe that "sent Miku Hatsune into space" ends operations 15 years later\u00a0 - 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