BepiColombo spacecraft split to explore Mercury's secrets after 8-year journey

The BepiColombo mission, a joint European and Japanese project, will separate into two spacecraft on Thursday after an eight-year journey to Mercury, aiming to unlock the secrets of the least-explored planet in the inner solar system. The two probes are expected to begin full scientific operations by April 2027. The mission, launched in October 2018, will split its science equipment from the transport vehicle in a crucial maneuver. Europe's Mercury Planetary Orbiter will map the planet's terrain, minerals, and gravity field, while Japan's Mio will study its magnetosphere and atmosphere. Both will gather coordinated data on the planet's magnetic field. Mercury has only been visited by two prior missions, NASA's Mariner 10 in the 1970s and MESSENGER from 2011 to 2015, which left many puzzles unsolved. Scientists hope BepiColombo will clarify the planet's formation, examine its southern hemisphere, and search for water ice in deep craters.