Graz-built magnetometer reaches Mercury after eight-year mission

A European space mission, BepiColombo, has arrived near Mercury for the first time in a decade after an eight-year journey, carrying a magnetometer developed in Graz, Austria, to study the planet's magnetic field. The two research probes are scheduled to separate from their propulsion module at 2:00 PM to enter their designated orbits. ESA mission leader Santa Martinez says the mission will provide unprecedented images and open a new chapter in understanding the solar system, with the Graz-built instrument measuring the magnetic field's size and direction. The Graz team, led by Werner Magnes, waited nearly 15 years for the instrument's activation due to launch delays and the long voyage. The equipment must withstand temperatures up to 450 degrees Celsius, which ESA engineer Ignacio Tanco compares to working with a hot pizza oven behind you.