First Spacecraft To Orbit Mercury
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NASA reveals new images and science findings from the first spacecraft to orbit Mercury - the solar system's innermost planet.
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The MErcury Surface, Space
ENvironment, GEochemistry, and
Ranging, or MESSENGER spacecraft conducted more than a dozen laps through the inner solar system for six years prior to achieving the historic orbit insertion on March 17, 2011.
The 485-kilogram (1,070 lb) space probe was launched by NASA in August 2004 to study the chemical composition, geology, and the magnetic field of
Mercury.
It became the second mission to reach Mercury successfully when it made a flyby in January 2008, followed by a second flyby in October 2008, and a third flyby in September 2009.
(The first space probe to reach Mercury was
Mariner 10 in 1975.)
Inserting into orbit around Mercury is difficult because a satellite approaching on a direct path from Earth would be accelerated by the Sun's gravity and pass Mercury far too quickly to orbit it.
Wiki
NASA Press Conference (60 min)
NASA Press Conference (60 min)
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