MESSENGER, MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging, was an unmanned NASA and APL spacecraft.[7] It was orbiting and studying the planet Mercury.[7] Its mission lasted 10 years, 8 months and 28 days.
Quick facts Mission type, Operator ...
MESSENGER Artist's rendering of MESSENGER orbiting Mercury. |
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| Mission type | Mercury probe |
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| Operator | NASA |
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| COSPAR ID | 2004-030A |
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| SATCAT no. | 28391 |
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| Website | messenger.jhuapl.edu |
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| Mission duration | Total:
10 years, 8 months and 27 days
At Mercury:
4 years, 1 month and 14 days
En route: 7 years
Primary mission: 1 year
First extension: 1 year[1]
Second extension: 2 years[2][3] |
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| Manufacturer | Applied Physics Laboratory |
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| Launch mass | 1,107.9 kg (2,443 lb) |
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| Power | 450 watts |
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| Launch date | August 3, 2004, 06:15:56 (2004-08-03UTC06:15:56Z) UTC |
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| Rocket | Delta II 7925H-9.5 |
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| Launch site | Cape Canaveral SLC-17B |
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| Entered service | April 4, 2011 |
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| Disposal | Deorbited |
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| Destroyed | April 30, 2015 at 19:26 UT[4] |
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| Reference system | Hermiocentric |
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| Perihermion | 200 kilometers (120 mi) |
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| Apohermion | 10,300 kilometers (6,400 mi) |
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| Inclination | 80 degrees |
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| Period | 12 hours |
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| Epoch | Jan 1, 2000[5] |
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| Closest approach | August 2, 2005 |
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| Distance | 2,347 kilometers (1,458 mi) |
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| Closest approach | October 24, 2006 |
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| Distance | 2,990 kilometers (1,860 mi) |
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| Closest approach | June 5, 2007 |
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| Distance | 337 kilometers (209 mi) |
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| Closest approach | January 14, 2008 |
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| Distance | 200 kilometers (120 mi) |
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| Closest approach | October 6, 2008 |
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| Distance | 200 kilometers (120 mi) |
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| Closest approach | September 29, 2009 |
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| Distance | 228 kilometers (142 mi) |
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| Orbital insertion | March 18, 2011, 01:00 UTC[6] |
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Discovery program |
Close
It was launched on August 3, 2004[7][8] at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. It was aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket.[8] After launch, the probe did several fly-bys and deep space manoeuvres to gain the right trajectory and speed.[7]
It completed 30% mapping of Mercury on January 14, 2008. MESSENGER made one more pass by Mercury in 2009, and on March 18, 2011 began to orbit Mercury.[7][9] 100% mapping was completed in March 2013 and the probe continued its studies. On April 30, 2015, it crashed into Mercury. It crashed near the crater Janáček.
