Messenger Mercury Insertion

[icytailmark]

15 hours to go till Messenger does the Insertion Burn into an orbit around Mercury. go here to follow the action. http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/

[CraigS]

Messenger should end up circling Mercury 200kms from the surface.

NASA spacecraft trying to get into Mercury's orbit (http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-nasa-spacecraft-mercury-orbit.html)



Looks like there won't be any pictures of the arrival either, they're shutting the cameras.

Its been 36 years since Mariner 10 flew by!
(Messenger also flew by in 2008).

Great stuff ! Thanks for the 'heads-up' Mark !

Cheers

[chappo]

I am confused by the time.
The Messenger web site gives insertion time as:

Mercury Orbit Insertion
March 18, 2011
12:45 a.m. UTC

Is this 00.45 March 19th UTC?

[icytailmark]

thats correct john

[icytailmark]

its official Messenger is now in orbit around mercury!!!!! The burn was perfect!!!! Congrats to USA for another historical event. I went to ninemsn and CNN and both of them dont have anything about messenger. All they have is negative news like earthquakes and wars. It really annoys me that they cant report on some positive news for once.

[gary]

BBC story "Messenger probe enters Mercury orbit" here -
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12761025

[chappo]

Thanks Mark, I thought I was having a senior moment.

I see they have corrected the time to 00.45 March 18th UTC on the web site now.