European spacecraft BepiColombo is finally nearing Mercury after 8 years in space
In a critical maneuver Thursday, the mission successfully deployed its two science orbiters—beginning the final phases of its arrival at Mercury
On 31 August 2026, the European Space Agency (ESA) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) hosted a press briefing to discuss the upcoming BepiColombo mission, Europe's and Japan's first mission to Mercury. The event highlighted the complexities of the Mercury Transfer Module (MTM) separation, set for 3 September 2026, which represents a crucial milestone as the mission prepares to enter BepiColombo's Mercury arrival phase.
The briefing delved into the operational challenges and milestones that lie ahead, including Mercury orbit insertion in November 2026 and the separation of the two science orbiters, ESA's Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) and JAXA's Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (Mio), in December 2026. ESA's Lead Project Scientist, Prof. Geraint Jones, ESA Mission Manager Santa Martinez, and ESA Head of Inner Solar System Mission Operations Ignacio Tanco, all addressed the audience, providing a comprehensive update on the mission's status and exploring the scientific opportunities that BepiColombo will uncover as it begins its operations around Mercury.
BepiColombo is considered the most complex mission ever sent to Mercury, as its orbiters will be the second and third to orbit the planet. Located in close proximity to the Sun and proving a more challenging target for an orbiter to reach than Pluto, Mercury remains the least explored world within the inner Solar System. Understanding the planet will provide valuable insights into the history of the entire Solar System.
Written by urgent.news from ESA Space Science's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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