A space probe will pass Mercury, the least explored planet in the solar system, tonight

Since its launch on October 20, 2018, the orbital vehicles assembled aboard BepiColombo have already completed several vehicles bridges (flew by) planets, benefiting fromgravity assist (Once off the ground And Twice from Venus) in order to reach the only planet in solar system FreeAtmosphere. As soon as the probe arrives near Mercure, she still has to realize Six flyovers around the celestial body To slow its trajectory sufficiently, until it is captured by the force of gravity. Resembling a missed date, this brief is essential to success in orbiting the Sun’s immediate neighbor and ultimately publishing the toolkit intended for careful study of the smallest. telluric planet.

Mercury was captured by the Messenger probe in 2009 with his WAC camera. © NASA, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Carnegie

BepiColombo invites hot planetary scientists for a planned interview with Mercury

night 1^{He is} until October 2, 2021, around 1:34 a.m. in France (UTC+2, summer time), the probe will touch Mercure, about 200 kilometers from its crater-ridden surface, in order to patiently begin its slowdown. During Window Four hours later, BepiColombo will take advantage of the proximity to capture images and perform preliminary analyzes of the planet. The data collected will provide a preliminary scientific overview of what will happen when the main mission begins in December 2025.

Infographic outlining the phases of Mercury’s flybys by BepiColombo on night 1^{He is} As of October 2, 2021 (the sizes of the probe and planets have not been measured). © ESA

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After seven years of travel and nine flights… all aspects of Mercury will be examined

So far, only two space probes have been designed to observe Mercury: Mariner 10 (1973 to 1975) and Messenger (2010-2015). BepiColombo is the first non-US Mercurial mission designed to map and analyze the composition of the planet’s surface. The latest technology has been mobilized from its core to its magnetic and gravitational fields, including the examination of its outer shell On site It will help researchers to unravel the mysterious mystery surrounding its formation and evolution. The next flyby of Mercury will not take place until June 2022.