Watch April 16 telecon on MESSENGER’s crash into Mercury
Watch April 16 telecon on MESSENGER’s crash into Mercury
Apr 14, 2015
by Deborah Byrd in » Science Wire, Space
After more than 10 years in space, the spacecraft will collide with Mercury, ending its mission, around late April. NASA invites you to a telecon for details.
NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft, which has been orbiting Mercury since 2011, will soon completely deplete the fuel it needs to stay in orbit. It’ll crash into Mercury, ending its mission, around the end of April, 2015. As MESSENGER’s long-expected collision with Mercury approaches, NASA will hold a telecon – for both media and the public – to share the spacecraft’s scientific findings and technical accomplishments. The telecon is scheduled for Thursday, April 16, at 1 p.m. EDT (17:00 UTC). Watch here.
http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv
In the past few months, MESSENGER has been getting closer and closer to Mercury. When it hits, it’ll be moving at a speed of more than 8,750 miles per hour (3.91 km/sec).
MESSENGER – which stands for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging – has spent more than 10 years in space. It’s considered a highly successful mission.
More
http://earthsky.org/space/watch-april-16-telecon-on-messengers-crash-into-mercury?utm_source=EarthSky+News&utm_campaign=2fa2f02ccf-EarthSky_News&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c643945d79-2fa2f02ccf-393525109
