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PLANET-C, also known as Venus Climate Orbiter (VCO), is a planned Japanese unmanned spacecraft to explore Venus. It is currently planned for launch in May 2010, with arrival in December 2010 for a mission of two years or more. With the end of the M-5 program in 2006, Planet-C will be launched by the H-IIA (type 202).
[edit] Design
The total mass of the spacecraft will be 640 kg, including 320 kg of propellants and 34 kg of scientific instruments.
[edit] Mission
Planned investigations include surface imaging with an infrared camera and experiments designed to determine the presence or otherwise of lightning and present surface volcanism.
The budget for this mission is 13 billion yen (110 million US dollars) for the satellite and 12 billion yen (100 million US dollars) for the launch.
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