NASA spacecraft to impact planet Mercury on Thursday

April 29, 2015 at 4:50 a.m. | Updated April 29, 2015 at 5:05 a.m.

by Associated Press

This artist's rendering provided by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory shows the sunshade on the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (Messenger) around the planet Mercury. The sunshade shields the spacecraft's instruments from heat and solar radiation. (Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory via AP) Image converted using ifftoany
This artist's rendering provided by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory shows the sunshade on the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (Messenger) around the planet Mercury. The sunshade shields the spacecraft's instruments from heat and solar radiation. (Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory via AP) Image converted using ifftoany

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - NASA's Mercury-orbiting spacecraft, Messenger, is going out with a bang this week, adding a hefty crater to the little planet closest to the sun.

The first spacecraft to circle Mercury, Messenger is expected to slip out of orbit and slam into Mercury on Thursday. It's out of fuel and is now at the mercy of gravity.

The spacecraft will be traveling 8,750 mph when it hits the rocky planet, fast enough to carve out a crater 52 feet wide.

This will end a successful mission for Messenger. It was launched in 2004 and entered orbit around Mercury four years ago.

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