The first space mission in more than a decade to Earth`s closest neighbour, Venus, has lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Europe`s Venus Express probe blasted off on a Russian rocket at 06.33 by Moscow time on Wednesday.

The robotic craft will orbit the planet to study its atmosphere, which has experienced runaway greenhouse warming.

Scientists hope the mission will shed further light on the mechanisms of climate change on our own world.

"It`s just such an exciting mission," said Prof Manuel Grande from the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire, UK.

"Earth is halfway between Venus and Mars, and when we put this together with Mars Express, it will tell us about the evolution of all three planets."

Record mission

Mission controllers in Darmstadt, Germany, confirmed that the probe had left Earth`s orbit and started its journey to Venus about 90 minutes after launch.

Venus Express should reach its target in about five months and enter an elliptical polar orbit.

Jerry Bolter of EADS Astrium, which built the spacecraft`s propulsion system, said the mission was put together in record time.

"It`s the fastest turnaround for any spacecraft in Europe," he told the BBC News website.

"We now look forward to next year when we have a very challenging burn for the main engine to do."

The probe was launched on a Soyuz rocket topped by a Fregat booster that will propel the spacecraft on a direct course to Venus.


BBCNews
sections: World News, Hi-Tech