Messenger Probe Launch to Orbit Trajectory

MESSENGER's journey from launch on August 3, 2004, through Earth, Venus, and Mercury flybys, to Mercury arrival on March 18, 2011. Check out the relative motions of Earth, Venus, Mercury and the MESSENGER spacecraft trajectory, nearly 16 spacecraft orbits around the Sun, and the orbits of Earth, Venus and Mercury in the plane of Earth's orbit. Use the timeline at the bottom to track the spacecraft's progress from launch to Mercury orbit insertion.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Messenger
• trajectory
• orbit
• flyby
• NASA
• space
• astronomy

[havi0003]

what program did you use to make this?

[britoca]

it's a NASA clip, I have no idea what was used

[skadel3]

@DownInAustin Right - they are instances where the rocket's engine is fired for a specific amount of time in a particular direction to change the orbit in a specific way. DSM's are typically done at the farthest point (from the Sun) in any given orbit b/c that's when a body (like a spacecraft) is moving most slowly and, therefore, its orbit can be changed most with the least use of fuel/propellant.

[MrMittendorf]

This is great--and helpful. Can you tell me what DSM means?? I thought, perhaps, "Do Something, Messenger!" or "Don't Skip Mercury" or "Dad Slept with Mom" or "Dare to Stay off Marijuana" "Delightfully Sexy Milf" "Duty, Service, Monogomy" "Delicate String of Mishaps." :)