Nasa's Messenger Probe Crashes on Mercury After 11-Year Mission

[Purveyor]

Source: Agence France-Presse

An unmanned Nasa spacecraft has crashed on the surface of the planet Mercury, after it ran out of fuel following a successful 11-year mission, the US space agency said Thursday.

The MESSENGER probe short for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging was the first spacecraft to orbit Mercury, and issued a final farewell on Twitter shortly before its demise at 3:26 pm (1926 GMT).

"Well, I guess it's time to say goodbye to all my friends, family, support team. I will be making my final impact very soon."

Shortly after, the official @MESSENGER2011 Twitter account posted another image of Mercury's surface, with the caption: "MESSENGER's LAST ACT? THAT'S SMASHING!"

Read more: http://gadgets.ndtv.com/science/news/nasas-messenger-probe-crashes-on-mercury-after-11-year-mission-687714

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[longship]

1. Waiting for another "Bomb the Moon" thread.

On the other hand, Messenger has been an astounding spacecraft which has done some astounding science. Just getting to Mercury is really, really difficult. Orbiting Mercury is so much more difficult. Staying in orbit around Mercury makes getting in orbit like child's play.

Messenger did all of that, plus sent back some fucking awesome science.

Oh, BTW, R&K

[pangaia]

2. WHAT? yet ANOTHER crash ?? !!!

Just goes to prove what I have always said.
NASA just hasn't got their shit together.