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After Eight Years, Europe's BepiColombo Mission Approaches Mercury for Orbit
Key Takeaways
- BepiColombo, launched in 2018, has completed its eight-year interplanetary cruise and is nearing Mercury.
- The spacecraft jettisoned its Mercury Transfer Module on Thursday, shedding the ion propulsion hardware no longer needed for orbit insertion.
- BepiColombo used an unprecedented nine planetary gravity assists and the most powerful electric propulsion system ever flown in deep space.
- The mission is led by ESA with contributions from Japan and the US and will enter Mercury orbit in November.
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DT Editorial Team··via arstechnica.com