MESSENGER Mission (IMAGE) University of Colorado at Boulder Caption Launched in 2004, an $8.7 million CU-Boulder instrument riding on NASA's MESSENGER mission to Mercury will begin orbiting the hot, rocky planet on March 17. Credit Image courtesy NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington Usage Restrictions None License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.