Is anyone else as impressed by the fact that we can aim a spacecraft at a planet that is anywhere from 48 to 138 millions miles away, have it come back around earth for a flyby, then 2 flybys of Venus, and then come to within 124 miles of the surface of Mercury????? That’s some heavy-duty math and physics on display. Not to mention the 2 future flybys of Mercury that will be able to bring MESSENGER into an orbit. I’m impressed.
Thank Newton!
The key is not having any humans on board. The “crew” all go home at the end of their shifts.