European space vessel to probe mysteries of toxic planet

A EUROPEAN space probe went into orbit around Venus yesterday after a 400 million kilometre journey to peer into its toxic atmosphere.

The 1.3 ton Venus Express took off on a Soyuz rocket from Baikonur in Kazakhstan last November.

Venus Express, the first European probe to Venus, is due to spend 486 Earth days - or just two Venusian days - studying its hot, dense atmosphere, which is choked with 96% carbon dioxide.