The U.S. and China are spending billions of headline-grabbing dollars in a tacit race to put humans on Mars. Japan prefers lower-key missions in the opposite direction, sending mechanical explorers toward Venus and Mercury for a fraction of the price.
A $290 million probe orbiting Venus is collecting information about the scorching atmosphere that may foretell Earth's future. A collaborative mission with Europe will measure Mercury's magnetic field and electromagnetic waves. Another craft is gliding toward an asteroid to search for water.
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