Mercury Exploration and MESSENGER Mission

What makes Mercury one of the least explored rocky planets?

• Its lack of interesting features

• The absence of a magnetic field

• The difficulty of getting into orbit around it

• Its distance from Earth

Why is a direct route to Mercury considered impractical for spacecraft?

• It would take too long

• It would be too expensive

• It would be too dangerous

• It would require too much fuel to slow down

What was the significance of the first image acquired from orbit around Mercury?

• It showed unexpected features

• It confirmed the spacecraft's successful orbit

• It revealed signs of life

• It was blurry and unclear

What unusual feature does Mercury have compared to other planets?

• A disproportionately large core

• A high number of moons

• A very small core

• A thick atmosphere

What did MESSENGER discover about Mercury's surface chemistry?

• It is similar to Earth's

• It contains unexpected volatile elements

• It is composed mainly of ice

• It has no chemical elements

What is one theory about Mercury's original formation location?

• Much closer to the Sun

• Beyond the asteroid belt

• Near its current position

• Near Earth or Venus

What might have caused Mercury to lose much of its crust and mantle?

• A collision with a large asteroid

• A glancing blow from another planetary embryo

• Volcanic activity

• Intense solar radiation

How did the MESSENGER mission change our understanding of Mercury?

• It found no new information

• It disproved the existence of Mercury

• It revealed Mercury to be more complex than thought

• It confirmed previous theories

What ultimately happened to the MESSENGER spacecraft?

• It is still orbiting Mercury

• It ran out of fuel and crashed into Mercury

• It was destroyed by a solar flare

• It returned to Earth

What was a major outcome of the MESSENGER mission?

• New insights into Mercury's formation and history

• Mapping of Mercury's magnetic field

• Discovery of life on Mercury

• Confirmation of Mercury's lack of atmosphere