BepiColombo is entering the final stages of its eight-year journey to Mercury, with a sequence of spacecraft separations and orbital manoeuvres scheduled before its science mission begins. The joint European–Japanese project will study the planet using two orbiters working at the same time.
According to the European Space Agency’s arrival plan, the Mercury Transfer Module separation on 3 September 2026 marks the beginning of this phase. The module supplied power and propulsion during the interplanetary journey. After separation, steering is handled by the thrusters on ESA’s Mercury Planetary Orbiter, known as MPO.
The next milestones
ESA’s timetable schedules capture into Mercury orbit for 21 November 2026. At that point, MPO and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter, called Mio, will still be travelling together. Their separation is planned for 9–10 December, followed by manoeuvres and checks to prepare the spacecraft and their instruments for their individual missions.
Routine science operations are scheduled to begin in April 2027. Arrival therefore involves more than reaching the planet: the orbiters must be placed on their intended paths and complete commissioning before regular scientific observations can start.
Two spacecraft, complementary measurements
The mission’s instrument lists show how the spacecraft will examine Mercury from different perspectives. MPO carries cameras, spectrometers, a laser altimeter and other instruments. Mio carries equipment to measure magnetic fields, plasma, waves, dust and Mercury’s sodium environment. Operating both spacecraft together will allow researchers to combine observations of the planet and its surrounding space environment.
These dates are the mission’s published operational schedule. The separation, orbit-insertion and commissioning stages remain distinct milestones, and ESA is publishing updates as the arrival sequence progresses.
Sources: ESA arrival updates, arrival timeline, and mission factsheet. This summary was prepared by The Republic Herald News Desk.