After 8 Years, BepiColombo Jettisons Propulsion Module on Final Approach to Mercury
The eight-year BepiColombo journey to Mercury is nearing its end, and with just a few months left before its final approach, the spacecraft has successfully jettisoned its propulsion module. This complex disassembly is the farthest-ever attempt from Earth and went off without a hitch, marking another first for the little ship after its nine planetary flybys.
Launched in 2018 with an estimated build cost of $2 billion, the joint Japan-ESA mission was designed to send a spacecraft into Mercury's orbit to take the closest look yet at the planet's surface. Originally planned for a December 2025 orbital insertion, propulsion problems in 2024 delayed it until November 2026, when it will be officially captured by Mercury's gravity.
Before that, though, the propulsion module needed to separate. Despite the difficulties involved (including its proximity to the Sun, which raises radiation and temperature levels), it all went smoothly in the end. The BepiColombo...
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