2 spacecraft headed to Mercury are about to begin their long-awaited arrival for Europe and Japan - watch it live on Sept. 3

The BepiColombo mission, a joint effort between the European Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, is preparing to separate its two science orbiters upon reaching Mercury. The event marks a critical milestone in a mission that launched in 2018 to study the innermost planet of the solar system.
Why it matters
This mission provides essential data on Mercury's composition and environment, advancing our understanding of planetary formation in the solar system.
Launches & Spacecraft 2 spacecraft headed to Mercury are about to begin their long-awaited arrival for Europe and Japan - watch it live on Sept. 3 News By Mike Wall Published 2 September 2026 The BepiColombo mission's two science orbiters will separate from their transfer module at around 8 a.m. EDT on Thursday (Sept. 3).
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Click for next article Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter BepiColombo's Mercury arrival begins (Official ESA broadcast) - YouTube Watch On The BepiColombo mission is finally getting ready to arrive at its exotic destination.
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