MESSENGER captures new views of Mercury
Posted: Thu, Oct 9, 2008, 7:15 AM ET (1115 GMT)
NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft has returned images of portions of the planet Mercury never seen before, taken during a flyby of the innermost planet earlier this week. The spacecraft approached to within 200 kilometers of the planet early Monday on the second of three planned flybys of the planet. Images taken by the spacecraft revealed about 30 percent of the planet's surface that had never been seen by spacecraft before. Some news features seen in the MESSENGER images include patterns of rays extending longitudinally along the surface. MESSENGER, which stands for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging, was launched in 2004 on a mission to study the planet in much greater detail than ever before. It is scheduled to enter orbit around the planet in early 2011 after one more flyby next year.
NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft has returned images of portions of the planet Mercury never seen before, taken during a flyby of the innermost planet earlier this week. The spacecraft approached to within 200 kilometers of the planet early Monday on the second of three planned flybys of the planet. Images taken by the spacecraft revealed about 30 percent of the planet's surface that had never been seen by spacecraft before. Some news features seen in the MESSENGER images include patterns of rays extending longitudinally along the surface. MESSENGER, which stands for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging, was launched in 2004 on a mission to study the planet in much greater detail than ever before. It is scheduled to enter orbit around the planet in early 2011 after one more flyby next year.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
US and UK militaries conduct coordinated satellite maneuvers
Posted: Sun, Sep 21 8:30 AM ET (1230 GMT) Blue Origin retires a New Shepard capsule after payload flight
Posted: Sun, Sep 21 8:25 AM ET (1225 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Tuesday, October 14
US Congress committee investigating Musk-owned Starlink over Myanmar scam centres
AFP — 7:50 am ET (1150 GMT) Morgan Stanley calls Rocket Lab a SpaceX alternative as it lifts price target
Investing.com — 7:48 am ET (1148 GMT) SpaceX’s Starship rocket lifts off in latest test flight as Musk eyes Mars
France 24 — 7:46 am ET (1146 GMT) SpaceX Replicates Starship Launch Success as US Races to Moon
Bloomberg News — 7:46 am ET (1146 GMT) SpaceX successfully tests 11th Starship flight in Texas
UPI — 7:46 am ET (1146 GMT) |
