The BepiColombo mission draws closer to Mercury
The BepiColombo spacecraft has successfully separated from its cruiser as it approaches the final stage of its journey to Mercury. The mission, a collaboration between European and Japanese space agencies, aims to map and study the planet's mysteries starting later this year.
Why it matters
This mission represents a significant milestone in planetary science, offering the potential to uncover new data about the solar system's least-explored inner planet.
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Two Mercury-bound spacecraft left their mother ship behind on Thursday and headed down the home stretch of their nearly decade-long voyage to the solar system’s smallest and closest-to-the-sun planet.
The linked European and Japanese spacecraft separated as planned from their cruiser, but controllers had to wait two anxious hours to receive confirmation via radio signals. The crucial operation was broadcast from the European Space Agency’s control center in Germany, more than 124 million miles (200 million kilometers) away.
“It’s a brilliant moment,” said lead project scientist Geraint Jones.
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