The ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission, launched in October 2018, is nearing the end of its interplanetary cruise and is expected to enter Mercury’s orbit in November 2026. Once in place, the mission will begin its primary scientific phase to analyse the planet’s magnetic field, surface composition and temperature.
The spacecraft consists of three modules: ESA’s Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO), JAXA’s Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (Mio) and the Mercury Transfer Module (MTM), which has powered the seven-year journey. The MPO and Mio will separate only after orbital insertion, at which point their individual observations will begin. According to mission information, the scientific phase will focus on “how [Mercury] formed, what it’s made of, how it changes over time, and its temperature.”
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During its cruise, BepiColombo has already completed six Mercury flybys, two Venus flybys and one Earth flyby. These encounters allowed the spacecraft to collect preliminary data on Mercury’s magnetic environment. MTM’s monitoring cameras also returned hundreds of images of Earth, Venus and Mercury, including detailed surface features such as craters, volcanic regions and plains.
Beginning in late 2026, Mio will deploy magnetometers, particle detectors, a sodium imager and a dust detector to gather information about materials and plasma surrounding Mercury. MPO will conduct high-resolution imaging in X-ray, visible, near-infrared and infrared wavelengths. It will also use the BepiColombo Laser Altimeter (BELA) to measure surface height and shape, providing a 3D understanding of the planet’s crust.
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In addition to surface structure and geochemical makeup, the mission aims to clarify whether traces of water exist on Mercury. With more sensitive instruments than those used during the flybys, researchers expect to assemble the most complete scientific picture of the planet ever obtained.