Express line to Venus

April 11 is fast approaching and the ESA is making numerous preparations for the orbital insertion of its Venus Express spacecraft. Way cool if you ask me.

The five month 400 million km journey is near an end. The spacecraft will study Venus in detail, from orbit.

From the ESA, the preparations will:

comprise a series of telecommands, engine burns and manoeuvres designed to slow the spacecraft down from a velocity of 29,000 km per hour relative to Venus, just before the first burn, to an entry velocity some 15% slower, allowing the spacecraft to be captured into orbit around the planet.

Anyway I think I am going to try Live Blogging the insertion, as the ESA is providing TV coverage and updates through its website. This orbital insertion stuff is tricky and there is, of course, no guarantee that it will be successful, heres hoping it is.