BepiColombo, a joint mission by ESA and JAXA, is set to make its fourth
flyby of Mercury, bringing it within 165 kilometers of the planet’s
surface on September 4. This maneuver will slow the spacecraft and adjust
its direction, allowing the mission team to capture images and test
scientific instruments ahead of the mission’s main...
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#^Fourth Mercury Flyby Begins BepiColombo’s New TrajectoryBepiColombo, a joint mission by
ESA and JAXA, is set to make its fourth flyby of Mercury, bringing it within 165 kilometers of the planet’s surface on September 4. This maneuver will slow the spacecraft and adjust its direction, allowing the mission team to capture images and test scientific instruments ahead of the mission’s main phase.
Visiting
Mercury is complex due to the Sun’s intense gravitational pull, which accelerates the spacecraft toward it. BepiColombo uses nine planetary flybys to reduce its speed and align with Mercury’s orbit. This upcoming flyby will take the spacecraft 35 kilometers closer than initially planned, thanks to a new route calculated by ESA’s flight dynamics team.
Addressing Technical Difficulties
BepiColombo consists of two orbiters: ESA’s Mercury Planetary Orbiter and JAXA’s Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter, both carried by the Mercury Transfer Module (MTM). Earlier this year, a technical issue caused reduced propulsion power, prompting ESA to plot a new course that requires less thrust. As a result, the spacecraft’s arrival at Mercury has been moved from December 2025 to November 2026.
Ongoing Flybys and Future Plans
The mission’s trajectory includes three more planned flybys: the fifth in December 2024 and the sixth in January 2025. These maneuvers will further slow BepiColombo and align it with Mercury’s orbit, paving the way for orbital insertion. The fourth flyby will bring the spacecraft closer to Mercury than anticipated, optimizing its path for subsequent maneuvers.
Scientific Opportunities During Flybys
BepiColombo will continue to gather preliminary data during the flybys. Ten of its 16 instruments will be operational, capturing measurements of magnetic fields, plasma, and particles around Mercury. This data collection helps the mission team prepare for the primary science phase.
While the mission’s main camera remains inactive until orbital insertion, three monitoring cameras on the Mercury Transfer Module will capture images during the flyby. These photos, expected to be released on September 5, will provide new insights into Mercury’s surface, including its craters and lava plains, enhancing our understanding of the planet’s history.
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Fourth Mercury Flyby Begins BepiColombo’s New Trajectory appeared first on
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