Messenger Blasts Off

Society | August 3, 2004, Tuesday // 00:00
Messenger Blasts Off NASA successfully launched its MESSENGER spacecraft. This will be the first mission of this kind in 30 years to explore Mercury. Photo by AFP

NASA successfully launched its MESSENGER spacecraft. This will be the first mission of this kind in 30 years to explore Mercury, the least-explored and closest planet to the Sun.

The MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistryand Ranging) spacecraft was launched as planned aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket at 06:16 a.m. GMT from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

The launched was postponed on Monday due to bad weather.
Messenger will take seven years to complete its 4.9 billion-mile flight to Mercury, the closest planet to the Sun.

Messenger will have to loop around the Sun 15 times, shooting past Venus for the last time in June 2007.

It should then enter Mercury's orbit in March 2011.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!

Society » Be a reporter: Write and send your article

Advertisement
Advertisement
Bulgaria news Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) is unique with being a real time news provider in English that informs its readers about the latest Bulgarian news. The editorial staff also publishes a daily online newspaper "Sofia Morning News." Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) and Sofia Morning News publish the latest economic, political and cultural news that take place in Bulgaria. Foreign media analysis on Bulgaria and World News in Brief are also part of the web site and the online newspaper. News Bulgaria