A joint European Space Agency and JAXA mission to study Mercury, comprising two orbiters, ESA's Mercury Planetary Orbiter and JAXA's Mio (Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter), launched together on 20 October 2018. The spacecraft is characterizing Mercury's magnetic field, magnetosphere and interior structure; thruster issues delayed its planned arrival, now expected in November 2026 after completing six flybys of the planet.
Facts
Mission TypeRobotic Mercury orbiter mission 1 OutcomeEn route as of the mid-2020s; delayed by thruster issues, with Mercury orbit insertion now expected in November 2026 after six planetary flybys. 1 Cross-Tradition Connections
Sources
1. Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Wikimedia FoundationWikipedia: BepiColombo, overview sectionQuote, Wikipedia: BepiColombo, overview section
The mission comprises two orbiters: the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO), built and operated by ESA, and Mio (Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter, MMO), built and operated by JAXA.
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