⏰ when
When was the first probe sent to Mercury?
Quick Answer
Mariner 10 was the first spacecraft sent to Mercury, launching on 3 November 1973.
The Full Story
Mariner 10 launched on 3 November 1973 and became the first spacecraft to visit Mercury. It used a gravity assist from Venus to reach Mercury and made three flybys in 1974 and 1975. The mission mapped much of Mercury’s surface and discovered that it has a magnetic field. Mariner 10 was the first probe to use gravity assist to reach another planet in the inner Solar System.
Key Facts
1.launched 3 November 1973
2.first Mercury mission
3.used Venus gravity assist
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"The first robot to reach Mercury"
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