The NASA MESSENGER Probe Mercury Trajectory Poster

The MEercury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) probe is a 485-kilogram (1,070 lb) robotic American space probe in orbit around the planet Mercury. It was launched by NASA in August 2004 to study the chemical composition, geology, and the magnetic field of Mercury. It became the second mission to reach Mercury successfully when it made a flyby in January 2008, followed by a second flyby in October 2008, and a third flyby in September 2009. (The first space probe to reach Mercury was Mariner 10 in 1975.) MESSENGER is the first spacecraft to orbit the planet Mercury. Inserting into orbit around Mercury is difficult because a satellite approaching on a direct path from Earth would be accelerated by the Sun's gravity and pass Mercury far too quickly to orbit it. Image reproduction rights can be found in the link near the bottom of this description. Sign up to Mr. Rebates for FREE and save 12% on any zazzle order in addition to a $5.00 sign up bonus All Rights Reserved; without: prejudice, recourse or notice (U.C.C. 1-308) Image Reproduction Rights: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MESSENGER_trajectory.svg messenger trajectory "messenger trajectory" "messenger probe" "messenger probe tragectory" "MEercury Surface Space ENvironment GEochemistry and Ranging" nasa "nasa probe" mercury "space probe" "american space probe" "mercury mission" "outer space" "space exploration" astronomy cosmology "mercury flyby" chart diagram" satellite "messenger chart" "messenger diagram" "messenger schematic" "messenger probe chart" "messenger probe diagram" "messenger "nasa probe" "nasa satellite" "space mission" "mercury mission" "nasa chart" "nasa diagram"