BepiColombo Reveals Two Stunning Images Of Mercury During The Flyby

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. 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.

The initial start of the joined ESA and JAXA manoeuvre is 4 September 2024. However, BepiColombo will arrive at Mercury in 11 months to compensate for the reduced performance of its electric thrusters.

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.

Two New Images Of Mercury’s Craters

Updated on 6th September

The BepiColombo mission has completed its fourth gravity assist flyby of Mercury, capturing images of two unique impact craters. The spacecraft used Mercury’s gravity to adjust its trajectory for its planned orbit insertion around the planet in November 2026.

The closest approach occurred at 23:48 CEST (21:48 UTC) on 4 September 2024, bringing BepiColombo to about 165 km above Mercury’s surface and providing the first clear view of the planet’s south pole.

BepiColombo’s First View Of Mercury’s South Pole

Updated on 5th September

BepiColombo’s mission team showed the first photo of Mercury’s south pole. The European Space Agency (ESA) wrote on X that it was taken 23 minutes after the closest approach at a distance of 3500 km.

Addressing Technical Difficulties of BepiColombo

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 5 September, will provide new insights into Mercury’s surface, including its craters and lava plains, enhancing our understanding of the planet’s history.