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    ESA · JAXA · Orbiter

    BepiColombo

    Two orbiters travelling together to study Mercury's interior, surface and magnetic environment.

    En routeCruising to Mercury; orbit insertion planned for late 2026.

    Launch date

    2018-10-20

    Destination

    Mercury

    Agencies

    ESA, JAXA

    Objectives

    • Map Mercury's surface and composition
    • Study its magnetic field and exosphere

    Spacecraft

    ESA's Mercury Planetary Orbiter and JAXA's Mio, carried by the Mercury Transfer Module

    Scientific instruments and systems

    • BELA altimeter
    • MERTIS
    • SIMBIO-SYS
    • Mio magnetometers and plasma instruments

    Timeline

    1. 2018-10-20Launch on Ariane 5
    2. 2021-10-01First Mercury flyby
    3. 2025-01-08Sixth and final Mercury flyby

    Major achievements

    • First joint European–Japanese planetary mission

    Status reviewed 2026-10-23. For official images and the latest updates, visit the agency pages listed under Sources.