⏰ when
When was the first spacecraft to reach Mercury launched?
SpaceMercury
Quick Answer
Mariner 10 launched in 1973 and became the first spacecraft to visit Mercury.
The Full Story
NASA launched Mariner 10 on November 3, 1973. After using a Venus gravity assist, it flew past Mercury in 1974 and returned for two more flybys in 1975. It was the first mission to visit Mercury and the first to use a planetary gravity assist for navigation. The spacecraft revealed that Mercury has a heavily cratered surface and a magnetic field.
Key Facts
1.Launched in 1973
2.First Mercury flyby in 1974
3.Returned for 3 flybys total
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"The first robot to visit Mercury."