Second Time Around

A View Over Mercury’s Horizon (October 8, 2008)
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

The MESSENGER spacecraft flew by the planet Mercury on Monday, the second of three flybys before the spacecraft enters orbit around the planet in 2011.

This afternoon a friend and I attended an event at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, the organization which built and is now controlling the pioneering spacecraft. We heard one of the leading mission scientists present background on the science and exploration of Mercury along with the latest results (followed by a stop for Mexican food and margaritas just outside the Lab). For continuing updates, check out the MESSENGER web site.