MESSENGER

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MESSENGER was a NASA mission that became the first spacecraft to orbit Mercury. Launched on 2004-Aug-3, it passed once by Earth, twice by Venus and three times by Mercury before entering orbit in 2011-Mar-18. It studied the innermost planet for four years, before it was commanded to deliberately crash onto the planet's surface on 2015-Apr-30

Launch of a Delta II rocket carrying MESSENGER, 2004-Aug-3

Montage of every planet that MESSENGER flew by en route to Mercury, 2005-2009

MESSENGER's first and last views of Mercury in orbit, 2011-2015

MESSENGER Family Portrait, 2010

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