NASA's Messenger mission reaches halfway point

The Messenger probe is nearing the halfway point of 7.9 billion kilometre journey, which when completed will make it the first man-made object to orbit the planet Mercury. During the craft's first three years and three months in space since its launch in August, 2004, Messenger has flown by Earth once and Venus twice. Now …

[JeffyPooh]

Message from Messenger

"Oh, ouch. Oh damn, hot. Oh my. Hot hot hot. Oh ah. Hot. Ouch. Oh my. Oh. Ouch. Ahh, oh. Argh. Damn that's hot. Oh my. Ouch."

[The Aussie Paradox]

I have to ask

I have to ask, is this one being broadcast from a hanger in Area 51 again?

Now, where is my tinfoil hat?

[Anonymous Coward]

So only a couple of months

Untill NASA tell us that the probe has the wrong type of sunglasses on and cant send any images back . . .

[Stuart Van Onselen]

@The Aussie Paradox

Oh dear, I'm terribly sorry, old chap, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to kill you now.

Nothing personal, you understand, it's just that some secrets must be kept. Can't have every Tom, Dick and Harriet in on it, now can we?

Sincerely

Agent V

[Paul]

@Agent V

Dose that mean your going to have to kill all of us now?

[Tom]

At least it doesn't use nuclear power

Solar panels all around. Should do very nicely. Nice and warm there around Mercury. Of course the global warming people will mention that it is a bit too warm around Mercury, and it is related to excess CO2 here on earth.

[Paul Bottomley]

MSN ?

... (nasa) Messenger setup failed with error code '1603' now falling into the sun..........

[Anonymous Coward]

Latest transmission...

... are we there yet????

[Anonymous Coward]

Messenger has flown by Earth once and Venus twice

Ok, who let a woman program the guidance system?

[Anonymous Coward]

hmm..

so just what is the message that messanger is taking to our Mercurian brethren? perhaps its just,dont shoot the mesasanger! fingers crossed that there isn't another 'Gid uff moy larnd' interplanetary incdent...

[Anonymous Coward]

"Messenger has flown by Earth once and Venus twice" Reprise

It says here on the box that the guidance system was made by a "TomTom". significant?

[Stuart Van Onselen]

@Paul

>Dose that mean your going to have to kill all of us now?

Don't tell my superiors, but from time to time I deliberately leak some details of the hoax. Then, when people hear about it, I have to "liquidate" them all!

Job security, my boy, job security!

[The Aussie Paradox]

@Stuart Van Onselen

Ahhh, so mixing business with pleasure!!!!

By liquidate, do you mean you are going to send me to Mercury as an Ambassador?

I think I left my asbestos coat at home.

[Jon Tocker]

HAH!

Screw you, Agent V, you don't even know I've been reading the page so you can't liquidate me!

oops...