BepiColombo: ESA's Mission to Unlock Mercury's Formation and Secrets

The European Space Agency's BepiColombo mission begins its arrival at Mercury on September 3, 2026, with a complex series of maneuvers to study the planet's formation and mysteries. The mission aims to resolve enigmas including ice in polar craters and the origin of Mercury's magnetic field. BepiColombo, a joint ESA and JAXA project launched in October 2018, consists of the MPO and MMO orbiters carried by the MTM module. On September 3, the MTM separates from the orbiters, which will enter Mercury's orbit in November, with final separation planned for December. The orbiters will reach their final scientific orbits by March 2027, with operations starting in April. The mission has already captured close-up images of Mercury's surface in January 2025, and will investigate five key mysteries about the planet.