NASA’s MESSENGER made its closest approach to Venus yesterday, coming within 2.990 kilometers of its surface. The spacecraft used this close encounter with Venus‘ gravity to alter its trajectory as it travels towards its final destination: Mercury. This won’t be the final encounter with our twin planet, though. MESSENGER will meet up with Venus again in June 2007. It’ll finally make its first encounter with Mercury in January 2008, but won’t be in a final orbit until March 2011.
MESSENGER Completes Venus Flyby