After years spent orbiting Mercury collecting data, NASA's Messenger spacecraft will crash into the planet's surface later this month.

No need to worry, though, it's all part of the plan.

In a statement, NASA says the spacecraft, which was launched in 2004, will April 30.

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At more than 8,000 miles per hour, Messenger will strike Mercury's surface, but scientists won't be able to view the event because it will land on the side of the planet facing away from Earth.

Although they'll miss out on the impact, NASA's scientists have learned much from Messenger's years orbiting Mercury.

“For the first time in history we now have real knowledge about the planet Mercury that shows it to be a fascinating world as part of our diverse solar system,” John Grunsfeld, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA, said. “While spacecraft operations will end, we are celebrating MESSENGER as more than a successful mission. It’s the beginning of a longer journey to analyze the data that reveals all the scientific mysteries of Mercury.”

Over the last few days, NASA has been steering the spacecraft to delay its impact, but eventually, as Messenger runs out of helium gas, it will descend.

NASA originally intended to let Messenger orbit Mercury for a year. In 2012, after a successful year of discoveries, NASA decided to extend the mission until Messenger ran out of propellant.

Messenger's discoveries lent major support to the theory that Mercury contains frozen water and that life on the inner planets was likely delivered from bodies outside of the solar system.

“The water now stored in ice deposits in the permanently shadowed floors of impact craters at Mercury’s poles most likely was delivered to the innermost planet by the impacts of comets and volatile-rich asteroids,” Sean Solomon, the mission’s principal investigator, said.

The Messenger mission also led to technological advancements, like the development of a heat-resistant cloth sunshade that should help in future planetary missions.

Thanks for all the work, Messenger, and good luck.

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