NASA: Messenger Spacecraft to Enter Mercury´s Orbit

NASA´s Messenger spacecraft is about to enter Mercury´s orbit after it has performed more than 12 laps through the inner solar system. The orbit insertion is scheduled for March 17.

Messenger will be the first spacecraft to orbit Mercury. It carries several science instruments.

The orbit around Mercury has an altitude of at least 124 miles (200 km). At the point where Messenger enters the orbit, it will be 96.35 million miles (155.06 mio. km) away from Earth.