NASA Sends Mercury a MESSENGER

NASA Sends Mercury a MESSENGER
NASA spacecraft bound for Mercury was successfully launched early Tuesday, the first step in a seven-year journey to the small planet.

MESSENGER, an acronym for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging, is the first NASA spacecraft to Mercury since Mariner 10 passed by the planet three times between 1974 and 1975.

Will it make it?

I wonder what the big deal is about Mars? Why not Venus or Jupiter? Did they skip Venus all together?

I'll have to read more....