News Space

First portraits of Mercury from orbit

MESSENGER spacecraft to capture more than 1,500 images in three days

By Ron Cowen

- More than 2 years ago

NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft has returned the first images ever taken by a probe orbiting Mercury, the solar system’s innermost planet. Recorded on March 29, the historic closeups show parts of the south and north polar terrain never before viewed by a spacecraft. NASA released the first image taken from orbit on March 29 and several others on March 30.