The ESA satellite "Venus Express" was launched on November 9, 2005 and began orbiting Venus on April 11, 2006.

The Venus Express spacecraft was first proposed in 2001; it was launched in November 2005. The spacecraft completed assembly and testing a few months prior to launch.

The Venus Express witch is mapping the planet and a probe that onlt lasted 23 minuites on the surface

—In 2007, images and data from the Venus Express spacecraft were able to confirm that lightning occurs on Venus and that the phenomenon is more common there than on Earth

Usually none, but currently one. Since April 2006, the 'Venus Express' has been orbiting. It belongs to the European Space Agency.