Mercury Messenger

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The Mercury Messenger mission will send a spacecraft to study the least explored terrestrial planet. The spacecraft will orbit the planet after two flyby. The key science quetions to be addressed include trying to udnerstand the origin of Mercury's high density, to understand the composition and structure of the crust, its tectonic history, volcanism, atmosphere and magnetosphere.

Mission Timeline

• 2004 - Launch
• mid 2005 - Earth flyby
• late 2006 - Venus flyby 1
• mid 2007 - Venus flyby 2
• early 2008 - Mercury flyby 1
• late 2008 - Mercury flyby 2
• late 2009 - Mercury orbit insertion
• late 2010 - End orbital operations