MESSENGER

Seventh mission of the Discovery program; orbital reconnaissance of the planet Mercury (2004–2015). MESSENGER was launched on August 3, 2004 aboard a Delta 7925H from Cape Canaveral & Kennedy. Latest status in GCAT: left Earth orbit for deep space (Aug 3, 2004).

COSPAR 2004-030ANORAD 28391United States

Identity

Name in GCAT: Messenger
Common name: MESSENGER
Payload designation: MESSENGER
International designator: 2004-030A
NORAD catalog number: 28391
GCAT identifier: S28391
UN registration: ST/SG/SER.E/458

Mission

Mission type: Deep space
Use: Civil government
Program: Discovery
Owner: APL
Country: United States
Builder: JHU-Applied Physics Lab
Platform (bus): Messenger

Launch

Date: August 3, 2004 · 06:15 UTC
Launch record: 2004-030Success
Rocket: Delta 7925H
Spaceport: Cape Canaveral & Kennedy · pad SLC17B

Orbit and fate

Orbit class (GCAT): EEO
Perigee: 190 km
Inclination: 32.66°
Status: Left Earth orbit for deep space
Status date: August 3, 2004
Last known active: August 2006
End of operations: Apr 30, 2015

Size

Mass: 1,108 kg
Dry mass: 513 kg
Length: 1.4 m
Diameter: 1.90 m
Span: 6.0 m

Deep space

Deep-space catalog entry: D00830
Final central body: Earth
Phase start: July 29, 2005
Phase outcome: Flyby · August 6, 2005
Destination: HCO

Flight phases

From	Central body	Ended	Outcome	Next
Aug 3, 2004	Earth	Aug 7, 2004	Escaped to another body	HCO
Oct 23, 2006	Venus	Oct 25, 2006	Flyby	HCO
Jun 4, 2007	Venus	Jun 7, 2007	Flyby	HCO
Jan 14, 2008	Mercury	Jan 15, 2008	Flyby	HCO
Oct 5, 2008	Mercury	Oct 6, 2008	Flyby	HCO
Sep 29, 2009	Mercury	Sep 30, 2009	Flyby	HCO
Mar 17, 2011	Mercury	Mar 18, 2011	Entered orbit around the target	Mercury
Mar 18, 2011	Mercury	Apr 30, 2015	Reentered (orbital decay)	Mercury

Landings and impacts

World	Type	Result	Touchdown	Site	Coordinates
Mercury	Orbiter	Targeted impact	Apr 30, 2015	—	54.40, 210.10

Source: GCAT payload, deep-space and lander catalogs, Jonathan C. McDowell (CC BY 4.0); Wikidata Q182539 (CC0).