New deadline set to send your name or message to Venus on Japan's Akatsuki mission
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency ( JAXA ) has extended the deadline to send your name or message to Venus on the Venus Climate Orbiter "AKATSUKI," which is scheduled to be launched by the H-IIA Launch Vehicle in Japan Fiscal Year 2010.
The new deadline in January 10, 2010.
The Venus Climate Orbiter "AKATSUKI" (PLANET-C), scheduled to be launched by JAXA in Japan Fiscal Year 2010, will explore this unique climate of Venus to elucidate the mechanism of determining the planetary environment in order to help deepen our understanding of the Earth's climate.
This year also marks the 400th anniversary since Galileo Galilei first turned a telescope to the night sky to open the door to space. The United Nations and the United Nations Educational, Science, and Culture Organization recognize this year as the "International Year of Astronomy 2009," and a lot of space-related events are being carried out all over the world. It is said that Galileo became certain about the theory of "Heliocentrism" thanks to observing the waxing and waning of Venus.
http://www.jaxa.jp/event/akatsuki/index_e.html