The Messenger spacecraft approached Venus

The Mercury Messenger spacecraft is not equipped with cameras that will penetrate the cloud layer of Venus, but the images will be used to calibrate the camera ahead of the spacecraft's arrival in about six months to the planet Mercury

Photo: Messenger spacecraft

On June 5, the Mercury Messenger spacecraft approached the planet Venus in order to gain acceleration and changes of direction on its way to the planet Mercury. During its transit, it sent a series of new photographs from the neighboring planet. Venus is shrouded in a dense layer of clouds that hides the surface of the star from the MDIS (Mercury Dual Imaging System) cameras installed in the spacecraft.

The image is part of a series of color images taken to help the crew operating the spacecraft test the cooperation between the cameras for its journey to the planet Mercury on January 14, 2008. In the coming months, the camera crew will carefully examine the 614 images taken during the spacecraft's approach to Venus, Among other things, the team will find out the sensitivity to colors and the optical possibilities of the cameras. The mission to the star Hema has two key goals: the first goal is to understand the change of colors on the surface of the star and their relationship regarding the order of changes in the outer layer (crust) of the star, the second goal is to ensure cartographic accuracy that characterizes the surface of the star Hema.

The preliminary analyzes of the images from Venus indicate that the cameras are working properly and are ready for the spacecraft's mission to Mercury.

It should be noted that this is a rare event in which two spacecraft orbit Venus at the same time, as Messenger temporarily joined the European Venus Express spacecraft that has been studying Venus for over a year.

Translation: Yariv Zerbiv
Source: NASA

Editor's note: On the occasion of this news, we have copied all the news about Venus from the old website to the Venus news on the current website