Mariner 10: First Mission to Use an Interplanetary Gravity Assist - Nasa daily picture for November 03 (2021)

This artists' impression is of the Mariner 10 mission. Mariner 10, which launched on Nov. 3, 1972, was the first mission to perform an interplanetary gravity assist, using a flyby of the planet Venus to alter its path to meet Mercury. This allowed the spacecraft to meet Mercury on three occasions in 1974 and 1975.

Image Credit: NASA

Source: www.nasa.gov