Space Environment and Geochemistry Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft

  • New estimates of Mercury’s thin, dense crust
    New estimates of Mercury’s thin, dense crust0

    Mercury is small, fast and close to the sun, making the rocky world challenging to visit. Only one probe has ever orbited the planet and collected enough data to tell scientists about the chemistry and landscape of Mercury’s surface. Learning about what is beneath the surface, however, requires careful estimation.