MESSENGER
MESSENGER was a NASA robotic spacecraft that orbited the planet Mercury between 2011 and 2015. Its mission was to study Mercury's chemical composition, geology, and magnetic field.
MESSENGER at Mercury (CGI)
Credit: NASA/JHU/APL
Facts About MESSENGER:
- MESSENGER was only the second spacecraft to visit Mercury, and the first to orbit the planet.
- MESSENGER was deliberately crashed into the surface of Mercury on April 30, 2015.
Classification: Spacecraft, Unmanned
Names: MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging
Naming: MESSENGER is a backronym for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging. It is also a reference to the Roman mythological messenger, Mercury.Developed by: NASA
Mission: Study Mercury's chemical composition, geology, and magnetic field.
Launched: 03rd August, 2004
Mission Ended: 2015.0430