Missione compiuta per la sonda Messenger della Nasa che, come previsto, è caduta sulla superficie del pianeta Mercurio. Avvenuto alla velocità di circa 14’000 chilometri all'ora, l'impatto ha generato un nuovo cratere sulla superficie del pianeta, del diametro di circa 15 metri.
Lanciata il 3 agosto 2004, la sonda è entrata nell'orbita di Mercurio il 17 marzo 2011. In quattro anni la missione ha raccolto oltre 250’000 immagini senza precedenti e altre informazioni che stanno aiutando a comprendere origine ed evoluzione del pianeta.
La costruzione della sonda Messenger
La morte solitaria di Messenger sul pianeta più vicino al Sole non è stata osservata da nessun telescopio perché la sonda ha colpito il lato del pianeta lontano dalla Terra. "È stata una missione di grande successo" ha osservato John Grunsfeld, del direttorato delle missioni Nasa. "Ora comincia una nuova fase della missione: l'analisi dei dati negli archivi che contribuiranno a svelare i misteri di Mercurio''.
Diem/ATS
Guarda il video che mostra le immagini riprese dalla sonda
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