Japan’s space agency has ended operations for its Venus spacecraft Akatsuki after 15 years in space. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced the decision on September 18, marking the end of the Venus probe  that became famous for its mission carrying thousands of messages and drawings of the virtual singer Hatsune Miku to space.

JAXA posted on social media: “We 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.”

【運用室より】金星探査機「あかつき」の運用を終了しました。昨年から通信再開を試みてきましたが、今後の復旧は困難と判断して区切りをつけることになりました。「あかつき」を打ち上げから15年にわたって見守っていただいたこと、心より感謝申し上げます。

— 「あかつき」チーム (@Akatsuki_JAXA) September 18, 2025

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Akatsuki, also called the Venus Climate Orbiter, launched on May 21, 2010. Before the launch, JAXA ran a campaign asking people worldwide to send handwritten messages and drawings they wanted to take to Venus. Fans of the computer-generated singer Miku Hatsune organized their own effort, collecting over 13,000 messages and pictures of the character.

These messages were printed on small aluminum plates and attached to the spacecraft. The plates served a practical purpose too – they helped balance the probe’s weight. The mission faced major problems early on. After launch, the spacecraft’s main engine failed, preventing it from entering Venus’s orbit as planned. For five years, Akatsuki drifted through space while JAXA worked on a solution.

However, starting in 2024, JAXA lost contact with Akatsuki. The agency tried several times to restore communication but was unable to reconnect with the spacecraft. Given that the mission had already lasted much longer than originally planned, officials decided to officially end operations.