Mission 3 – BepiColombo

The European Space Agency (ESA) launched its BepiColombo mission in October 2018, with the aim of studying the planet Mercury in detail. This mission is a joint effort with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), which is providing two spacecraft for the mission. BepiColombo is a complex and ambitious mission that involves two spacecraft, multiple instruments, and several stages of travel to reach Mercury. In this article, we will discuss the BepiColombo mission, including its objectives, launch, trajectory, and scientific achievements.

When and Why was the BepiColombo Mission Launched?

The idea for the BepiColombo mission dates back to the 1990s when scientists first proposed a mission to study Mercury in detail. Mercury is the smallest planet in our solar system and is located closest to the Sun. It has a unique environment that is different from all other planets in our solar system, with extreme temperatures, a weak magnetic field, and a thin atmosphere.

The BepiColombo mission was launched on October 20, 2018, from the European Spaceport in French Guiana. The mission is named after Giuseppe "Bepi" Colombo, an Italian scientist who played a key role in the Mariner 10 mission, which was the first spacecraft to visit Mercury in 1974-75.

The BepiColombo mission has several objectives, including:

* Study Mercury's surface, composition, and geology in detail.

* Investigate Mercury's magnetic field and its interaction with the solar wind.

* Study the exosphere, or thin atmosphere, around Mercury.

* Investigate the origin and evolution of Mercury, including its interior structure and history.

* How was the BepiColombo Mission Executed?

The BepiColombo mission involves two spacecraft, the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) and the Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO), which will work together to study Mercury from different perspectives. The MPO is provided by ESA, while the MMO is provided by JAXA. The two spacecraft are designed to work together to provide a comprehensive view of Mercury's environment and characteristics.

After launch, the BepiColombo spacecraft underwent a series of complex maneuvers to reach Mercury. The spacecraft needed to perform several gravity assists, or slingshots around Earth, Venus, and Mercury, to slow down and adjust its trajectory. This allowed the spacecraft to enter into orbit around Mercury in 2025.

The BepiColombo mission is divided into several stages, including:

Cruise Stage: This stage involved the spacecraft traveling to Mercury from Earth, during which it performed several gravity assists to adjust its trajectory.

Earth and Venus Flybys: The spacecraft performed several flybys of Earth and Venus to slow down and adjust its trajectory towards Mercury.

Mercury Approaching: During this stage, the spacecraft will approach Mercury and perform several flybys to adjust its trajectory and slow down before entering into orbit.

Science Operations: Once the spacecraft is in orbit around Mercury, it will perform scientific investigations of the planet's surface, composition, magnetic field, and atmosphere.

What is the Cost of the BepiColombo Mission?

The BepiColombo mission is a joint effort between ESA and JAXA, and the total cost of the mission is estimated to be around €1.5 billion ($1.6 billion). This includes the cost of designing, building, launching, and operating the two spacecraft, as well as the cost of the scientific investigations and data analysis.

What are the Achievements of the BepiColombo Mission?

The BepiColombo mission is still ongoing, and the spacecraft is expected to reach Mercury in 2025 and begin its scientific investigations. However, even before reaching its destination, the BepiColombo mission has already achieved several milestones. For example, during its Earth flyby in April 2020, the spacecraft captured a stunning image of Earth, showing the planet in its full glory. The image was taken by the MPO's Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer (MIXS) instrument and showed Earth's atmosphere and the Moon in the background.

In addition to this, the BepiColombo mission has also provided valuable data on the interplanetary environment and the effects of solar activity on spacecraft. During its cruise phase, the spacecraft detected several coronal mass ejections, which are eruptions of charged particles from the Sun that can cause disturbances in the space environment.

Once the BepiColombo spacecraft reaches Mercury, it will perform a range of scientific investigations, including mapping the planet's surface and studying its composition, magnetic field, and atmosphere. This data will provide insights into the formation and evolution of Mercury and the solar system as a whole.

In conclusion, the BepiColombo mission is a complex and ambitious effort to study Mercury in detail, involving two spacecraft, multiple instruments, and several stages of travel to reach the planet. The mission has several objectives, including studying Mercury's surface, composition, and geology, investigating its magnetic field and interaction with the solar wind, studying its exosphere, and investigating its origin and evolution. The mission is still ongoing, but has already achieved several milestones and provided valuable data on the interplanetary environment and the effects of solar activity on spacecraft.