ESA · Ruimte

BepiColombo's Mercury Arrival Sequence Begins

ESA/JAXA's BepiColombo mission has initiated its complex journey towards Mercury, a process that began with a livestream broadcast on September 3rd. This marks a critical phase in the mission's eight-year voyage through the inner Solar System.

The Mercury Transfer Module (MTM) is scheduled to separate from the main spacecraft on September 3, 2026. This event signifies the commencement of one of the most intricate planetary arrival sequences ever undertaken by the European Space Agency (ESA).

The livestream, originating from ESA's European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany, featured live views from the Main Control Room, expert commentary, behind-the-scenes perspectives, and the crucial first signal received from the spacecraft post-separation. The broadcast included key timings such as the MTM separation at 14:00 CEST and the earliest possible signal acquisition and status check at 15:53 CEST.

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