A great report just in from Adam Williams at ESOC:

Following analysis of the housekeeping data dumped during this morning’s communication pass, we can see that Venus Express is in excellent shape following its first pericentre passage in aerobraking mode. Thruster activation during the braking mode was as expected, and we have a good power situation. The commands for the next three orbits have been successfully uplinked to the spacecraft.

This basically means that everything is working well and the spacecraft will now spend the next few weeks (until early July, see chart below) steadily lowering the altitude of its closest approach (pericentre passage) to Venus.

More news when we get it!

This chart shows the planned evolution of the Venus Express pericentre (point of closest approach to surface) altitude during the aerobraking campaign. Units: km. Credit: ESA

This chart shows the planned evolution of the Venus Express pericentre (point of closest approach to surface) altitude during the aerobraking campaign. Units: km. Credit: ESA