NASA will hold a media and public event at 1 p.m. EDT on Thursday, April 16, to share scientific findings and technical accomplishments of the agencys MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft. <\/p>\n
After more than 10 years in space, the highly successful mission will come to an end when it is expected to collide into Mercury at a speed of more than 8,750 miles per hour (3.91 km\/sec) near the end of this month. <\/p>\n
The event will take place in the NASA Headquarters' James E. Webb Auditorium, 300 E Street, S.W., Washington, and will be carried live on NASA Television and the agencys website. <\/p>\n
Launched in August 2004, MESSENGER traveled 4.9 billion miles (7.9 billion kilometers) - a journey that included 15 trips around the sun and flybys of Earth once, Venus twice, and Mercury three times - before it was inserted into orbit around its target planet in March 2011. The spacecraft's cameras and other sophisticated, high-technology instruments have collected unprecedented images and made other observations. Mission managers are preparing to impact Mercury surface in the next couple weeks. <\/p>\n
Participants will include: <\/p>\n
James Green, director, Planetary Science Division, NASA Headquarters, Washington <\/p>\n
Sean Solomon, MESSENGER principal investigator; director, Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Palisades, New York <\/p>\n
Helene Winters, MESSENGER project manager, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland <\/p>\n
Daniel OShaughnessy, MESSENGER systems engineer, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland <\/p>\n
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NASA to Celebrate MESSENGER Mission Prior to Surface Impact of Mercury<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" NASA will hold a media and public event at 1 p.m. EDT on Thursday, April 16, to share scientific findings and technical accomplishments of the agencys MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft Continue reading