BepiColombo is a collaborative space mission between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), aiming to increase our understanding of Mercury, the least explored terrestrial planet in our solar system. Launched in 2018, the mission comprises two satellites: the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) and the Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO), also known as Mio. These twin satellites are on a long journey to reach Mercury by the end of 2025, with several planetary flybys scheduled along the way.
The Launch and Journey
The BepiColombo mission began its journey on October 20, 2018, when it was launched aboard an Ariane 5 rocket from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana. The mission’s path to Mercury is not direct due to the high velocity needed to enter into orbit around the small planet. To achieve this, BepiColombo is utilizing a series of gravity-assist maneuvers, using the gravitational pull of other planets to adjust its trajectory and speed. This includes one flyby of Earth, two flybys of Venus, and six flybys of Mercury itself before it settles into orbit.
Planetary Flybys
The gravity-assist flybys are critical for BepiColombo to shed energy and correctly align its orbit with that of Mercury. The Earth flyby occurred on April 10, 2020, and provided the first opportunity to test some of the onboard instruments. Following this, BepiColombo has two important flybys of Venus. The first took place on October 15, 2020, and the second, which will see the spacecraft passing Venus at a remarkably close altitude of just 550 kilometers, is scheduled for August 10, 2021. These encounters will provide valuable data about Venus while adjusting the spacecraft’s course towards Mercury.
Objectives of the Mission
The primary objective of BepiColombo is to gather detailed information about Mercury’s composition, geophysics, atmosphere, magnetosphere, and history. By doing so, scientists hope to gain insights into the formation and evolution of the planet, which in turn could reveal more about the origins of the solar system as a whole. The MPO will map the planet’s surface and study its composition, while the MMO will focus on analyzing Mercury’s magnetosphere, the region of space dominated by Mercury’s magnetic field.
Scientific Instruments and Experiments
Both orbiters are equipped with a suite of advanced scientific instruments designed to carry out a wide range of experiments. These include cameras, spectrometers, and detectors that will measure particles and magnetic fields. The MPO carries eleven experiments, including a laser altimeter, a thermal infrared spectrometer, and a gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer. The MMO carries five instruments primarily for studying the magnetosphere, including a magnetometer, an ion spectrometer, and a plasma wave detector.
Challenges and Innovations
The BepiColombo mission faces numerous challenges due to the harsh conditions near Mercury, such as extreme temperatures and intense solar radiation. To overcome these, the spacecraft have been designed with special heat-resistant materials and protective sunshields. Additionally, the mission employs innovative technologies such as electric propulsion, which is being used alongside traditional chemical thrusters for the first time on an interplanetary journey.
Expected Arrival and Mission Duration
After its long and complex journey, BepiColombo is expected to enter Mercury’s orbit at the end of 2025. Upon arrival, the spacecraft will separate, with each orbiter conducting its respective research tasks for up to one Earth year. The mission’s duration may be extended depending on the performance of the spacecraft and the value of the data collected.
BepiColombo represents a significant step forward in planetary exploration, promising to unlock many secrets of Mercury and contribute to our broader understanding of the solar system’s innermost world. With its sophisticated instruments and strategic flybys, the mission stands poised to deliver a wealth of scientific knowledge in the coming years.
