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Whose mission first orbited Mercury?
Space explorationMercury
Quick Answer
NASA’s MESSENGER mission, with Sean Solomon as principal investigator, became the first spacecraft to orbit Mercury in 2011. It mapped the planet in detail until 2015.
The Full Story
MESSENGER reached Mercury orbit on March 17, 2011, after a long journey using multiple gravity assists. Sean Solomon led the mission scientifically and helped direct its study of Mercury’s surface, magnetic field and tenuous exosphere. MESSENGER revealed that Mercury has polar water ice, strange volcanic plains and a global magnetic field. It ended in 2015 when it was intentionally crashed onto the planet’s surface.
Key Facts
1.MESSENGER entered Mercury orbit on 17 March 2011
2.Sean Solomon was the principal investigator
3.The mission found polar water ice
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"The tiny planet that needed years of orbital gymnastics to reach."