MESSENGER provides new insights about Mercury
Posted: Thu, Jan 31, 2008, 2:02 PM ET (1902 GMT)
An initial analysis of images and other data returned by NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft have already reshaped scientists' views about the planet Mercury, project scientists said Wednesday. MESSENGER collected over 1,200 images of the innermost planet, along with magnetospheric and other data, when it flew past the planet earlier this month. The images includes observations of regions of the planet not previously seen before. A month the surprises in the MESSENGER data are images of a feature called "The Spider" which consists of over 100 troughs extending from a central region, where a crater that may be linked to the troughs' formation exists. The flyby is the first of three that MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging) will perform through late 2009; the spacecraft will enter orbit around the planet for more intensive observations in 2011.
An initial analysis of images and other data returned by NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft have already reshaped scientists' views about the planet Mercury, project scientists said Wednesday. MESSENGER collected over 1,200 images of the innermost planet, along with magnetospheric and other data, when it flew past the planet earlier this month. The images includes observations of regions of the planet not previously seen before. A month the surprises in the MESSENGER data are images of a feature called "The Spider" which consists of over 100 troughs extending from a central region, where a crater that may be linked to the troughs' formation exists. The flyby is the first of three that MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging) will perform through late 2009; the spacecraft will enter orbit around the planet for more intensive observations in 2011.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Monday, February 2
First launch of Ariane 6 with four boosters
ESA — 6:37 am ET (1137 GMT) Europe’s digital Earth gets ready to grow user community
ESA — 6:37 am ET (1137 GMT) Inside the high-stakes battle over Space Force advocacy
Washington Times — 6:34 am ET (1134 GMT) SpaceX rocket launch planned Monday morning at Vandenberg Space Force Base
KSBY-TV San Luis Obispo, CA — 6:32 am ET (1132 GMT) SpaceX Plans Data Center Satellite Constellation
Aviation Week — 6:30 am ET (1130 GMT) |
