BepiColombo spacecraft begins risky arrival at Mercury after 10 billion km journey

The BepiColombo spacecraft began its high-risk arrival at Mercury on Thursday, separating from its transfer module after an eight-year, 10 billion-kilometer journey. The European Space Agency called it its most operationally challenging planetary arrival sequence ever attempted. Mercury's weak gravitational pull, due to its small mass, makes approach complex without risking incineration or loss in space. The spacecraft autonomously cut four mechanical struts and used springs to push the two attached probes away, with confirmation reaching Earth nearly two hours later. The probes are scheduled to enter Mercury's orbit on November 21, with a further separation into their respective orbits planned for December 9 and 10. The mission aims to study the least understood planet in our Solar System.