Mercury

TECHNICAL DEFINITION

Mercury is the smallest and innermost planet in the Solar System, a terrestrial planet characterized by its heavily cratered surface, extreme temperature variations, and lack of a substantial atmosphere.

BACKGROUND

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for the United States' civil space program and for research in aeronautics and space. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., NASA operates ten field centers across the U.S. and is organized into three mission directorates: Human Spaceflight, Research and Technology, and Science. Established in 1958 amid the Space Race, NASA succeeded the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) to give the U.S. space program a distinct civilian orientation focused on peaceful applications. Since then, it has led most American spaceflight programs, including Project Mercury, Project Gemini, the Apollo program, Skylab, the Space Shuttle, the International Space Station (ISS) and the ongoing multi-national Artemis program.

SYNONYMS & ALIASES

• Innermost planet
• Swift planet
• Closest to Sun
• Terrestrial planet

USAGE NOTE

Mercury's surface experiences extreme temperature swings between day and night.

DEVELOPERS

Organizations developing technology related to Mercury.

• European Space Agency (ESA)

  The ESA is a primary partner in the BepiColombo mission, a joint endeavor with JAXA to study the planet Mercury. ESA developed the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) to map the planet and study its composition.

• Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

  JAXA is co-leading the BepiColombo mission to Mercury. They developed the Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO), named 'Mio', which is designed to study the planet's magnetic field and magnetosphere.

• NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)

  NASA's MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging) was the first spacecraft to orbit Mercury, significantly advancing our understanding of the planet. NASA continues to analyze this data and contributes instruments to the BepiColombo mission.

• Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL)

  APL designed, built, and managed the MESSENGER mission for NASA. The laboratory is a key center for planetary science and continues to analyze data from its historic Mercury mission.

• Airbus Defence and Space

  As the prime contractor for the ESA side of the BepiColombo mission, Airbus was responsible for designing, developing, and building the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) spacecraft.

• Thales Alenia Space

  A major industrial partner for the BepiColombo mission, Thales Alenia Space supplied critical technologies including the communication antennas, transponders, and the advanced thermal control system necessary for the spacecraft to survive Mercury's extreme temperatures.

• ArianeGroup

  As the manufacturer of the Ariane 5 launch vehicle, ArianeGroup was responsible for the rocket that successfully launched the BepiColombo mission on its interplanetary trajectory to Mercury in 2018.