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The U.S. space agency spacecraft Messenger swooped within 199-kilometers of the planet Mercury, in preparation for a permanent orbit, beginning in 2011. Messenger, which is operated by remote control from Earth, will soon begin beaming data back which scientists hope will answer questions about the planet closest to the Sun. The unmanned spacecraft was launched by NASA in August, 2004. Messenger, stands for Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging. Planetary scientists hope the $450 million mission will help them answer key questions about Mercury, a tiny planet with temperatures that swing between 315 degrees in the daytime to minus 180 degrees at night. Astronomers say the planet is heavily cratered and has a large iron core. Messenger is about halfway through its journey to put it in permanent orbit around Mercury in 2011. But, until then, there will be another flyby this October and again in September 2009.

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