MESSENGER Approaches Mercury
October 7, 2008
In the approach movie, Mercury appears as a sunlit crescent. During the encounter, MESSENGER passed over the night side of the planet, experienced its closest approach with Mercury, and then emerged into daylight. This encounter was the first of three flybys of Mercury planned for the MESSENGER mission.
credit: NASA
Topics:
Disaster Accident, MESSENGER, Discovery program, Mercury spacecraft, Exploration of Mercury, Mariner 10, Mercury, Spaceflight