Abstract

The Mariner 10 Mission to Venus and Mercury, also known as Mariner Venus Mercury 1973, is the only spacecraft to have flown past the innermost planet. The mission was done for the very low cost of $98M and was extremely successful, although, due to numerous spacecraft anomalies, it was very demanding to operate. Mariner 10 was the first mission to use gravity assist and demonstrated this technique for reaching planetary targets with a minimum of launch energy. Among other science accomplishments, the mission discovered Hadley circulation at Venus and a magnetic field at Mercury.