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Mercury Observations with MESSENGER Images. By: Frank J Melillo. MISSION TO MERCURY: MESSENGER. It stands for - MErcury: Surface, Space, ENvironment, GEochemisty, Ranging. MESSENGER Spacecraft Launched August 3rd, 2004. MESSENGER entered orbit around Mercury in March, 2011. BUT FIRST….
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Mercury Observations with MESSENGER Images By: Frank J Melillo
MISSION TO MERCURY:MESSENGER It stands for - MErcury: Surface, Space, ENvironment, GEochemisty, Ranging
BUT FIRST… • Earth Flyby – Aug. 3, 2005 • Venus Flyby 1 – Oct. 24, 2006 • Venus Flyby 2 – June 5, 2007 • Mercury Flyby 1 – Jan. 14, 2008 • Mercury Flyby 2 – Oct. 6, 2008 • Mercury Flyby 3 – Sept. 9, 2009 • First Orbit Insertion – March 11, 2011 • Mission extended – March 18, 2012
Dr.Gerald Cecil’s (University of NC in Chapter Hill) images of Mercury compared with the MESSENGER. They were taken remotely by using the 1.35M SOAR telescope in Chile