BepiColombo
BepiColombo is a joint mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to the planet Mercury. It launched on October 20, 2018 and it is planned to arrive at Mercury On December 5, 2025.
 Artist's depiction of the BepiColombo mission, with the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (left) and Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (right) | |
| Mission type | Planetary science |
|---|---|
| Operator | ESA · JAXA |
| COSPAR ID | 2018-080A |
| Website | sci |
| Mission duration | Cruise: 7 years (planned) Elapsed: 5 years, 10 months and 8 days |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | EADS Astrium · ISAS |
| Launch mass | 4,100 kg (9,040 lb)[1] |
| BOL mass | MPO: 1,230 kg (2,710 lb)[1] MMO: 255 kg (560 lb)[1] |
| Dry mass | 2,700 kg (5,950 lb)[1] |
| Dimensions | MPO: 2.4 × 2.2 × 1.7 m[1] (7.9 × 7.2 × 5.6 ft) MMO: 1.8 × 1.1 m[1] (5.9 × 3.6 ft) |
| Power | MPO: 150 W MMO: 90 W |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | October 20, 2018 |
| Rocket | Ariane 5 ECA |
| Launch site | Guiana Space Centre[2] |
| Contractor | Arianespace |
| Mercury orbiter | |
| Spacecraft component | Mercury Planetary Orbiter |
| Orbital insertion | Planned: 5 December 2025 |
| Orbit parameters | |
| Perihermion | 480 km (300 mi) |
| Apohermion | 1,500 km (930 mi) |
| Inclination | 90° |
| Mercury orbiter | |
| Spacecraft component | Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter |
| Orbital insertion | Planned: 5 December 2025 |
| Orbit parameters | |
| Perihermion | 590 km (370 mi) |
| Apohermion | 11,640 km (7,230 mi) |
| Inclination | 90° |
BepiColombo Media
Planned orbits for Mio and MPO satellites, the two probes of the BepiColombo mission
Animation of BepiColombo trajectory
Animation of BepiColombo's trajectory around Mercury
Timeline of BepiColombo from 20 October 2018 to 2 November 2025. Red circle indicates flybys.
Earth flyby on 10 April 2020
BepiColombo, imaged at Northolt Branch Observatories, 16 hours after the Earth flyby. The bright satellite passing by is INSAT-2D, a defunct geostationary satellite.
Mercury Planetary Orbiter in ESTEC before stacking
Radio testing of BepiColombo orbiter
Mio in ESTEC before stacking
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 "BepiColombo Factsheet". European Space Agency. 6 July 2017. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
- ↑ "MMO/BepiColombo". JAXA. 2008. Archived from the original on 14 September 2017. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
