Delta II | Messenger

Launch Provider & Rocket

• Provider: United States Air Force (Government)
• Rocket: Delta II 7925H-9.5 — Delta family

Mission

MESSENGER was a NASA robotic space probe that orbited the planet Mercury between 2011 and 2015, studying Mercury's chemical composition, geology, and magnetic field. The name is a backronym for "MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging", and a reference to the messenger god Mercury from Roman mythology.

• Type: Planetary Science
• Orbit: Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

Launch Site

• Pad: Space Launch Complex 17B
• Location: Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
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Program

• Discovery Program — The Discovery Program is a series of Solar System exploration missions funded by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) through its Planetary Missions Program Office. The cost of each mission is capped at a lower level than missions from NASA's New Frontiers or Flagship Programs. As a result, Discovery missions tend to be more focused on a specific scientific goal rather than serving a general purpose. (Wikipedia)