On May 21st, 2010, the Akatsuki orbiter ("Dawn" in Japanese) launched from the Tanegashima Space Center atop a H-IIA Launch Vehicle, establishing orbit around Venus in December 2015. In so doing, Akatsuki became the first interplanetary mission launched by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). According to an announcement issued on September 18th, 2025, JAXA conducted the termination procedure for the Akatsuki mission starting at 9:00 AM JST (8:00 PM EST; 5:00 PM PST). In the eight years that Akatsuki monitored Venus' atmosphere, the mission achieved many milestones. "We would like to express our deepest gratitude to all the organizations and individuals who have cooperated and supported the development and operation of Akatsuki," JAXA announced.