“Every time we’ve encountered Mercury, we’ve discovered new phenomena,” said Sean Solomon, the [NASA] mission’s principal investigator at the Carnegie Institution of Washington. “We’re learning that Mercury is an extremely dynamic planet, and it has been so throughout its history. After MESSENGER has been safely inserted into orbit around Mercury next March, we’ll be in for a terrific show.”
THE TEXAS SCRIBBLER 
It will be quite hot there for Messenger. Hope it’s insulated enough.
Apparently that’s why they’re taking so long on its orbital insertion.