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BepiColombo Mission Reaches Final Stretch for Mercury Orbit
Confirmed
In Short: The BepiColombo mission, a joint European and Japanese effort, has cleared a major milestone in its eight-year journey to Mercury.
The BepiColombo mission, a joint European Space Agency and Japan's JAXA effort, has reached a significant milestone in its eight-year journey to Mercury, the innermost planet of the Solar System. This achievement marks the final stretch of the interplanetary voyage, which required an unprecedented nine planetary flybys to set up for the mission's entry into Mercury's orbit later this year.
The journey was particularly challenging due to Mercury's extreme conditions and its position at the innermost part of the Solar System. The mission's success is attributed to the Mercury Transfer Module, which provided power and propulsion throughout the eight-year cruise.
Telemetry from BepiColombo confirmed that the Mercury Planetary Orbiter's solar arrays were generating power, a crucial step in ensuring the spacecraft's readiness for its final approach. Mission manager Santa Martinez of ESA described the mission as 'very ambitious.
Launched in 2018, BepiColombo is now on the cusp of its most critical phase, with the successful completion of this milestone setting the stage for its historic orbit around Mercury.
What's confirmed
What's still developing
- Nothing material beyond the confirmed record.