BepiColombo approaches Mercury through a sequence of steps
· BehindLines newsroom
BepiColombo’s arrival at Mercury (Mercure) is approaching, with an initial orbital insertion announced for 21 November 2026. The timetable from the European Space Agency (Agence spatiale européenne) separates this milestone from the release of the two probes, planned between 9 and 10 December 2026. As of 9 November, these operations still lie ahead.
The mission brings together the European agency and Japan’s JAXA. Their probes, named MPO and Mio, left Earth (Terre) together on 20 October 2018. Japan’s Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (Institut japonais des sciences spatiales et astronautiques) describes this roughly eight-year journey, intended to prepare for studying Mercury from several perspectives.
Two probes with complementary observations
The aim extends beyond photographing a surface. The Japanese overview presents several targets: Mercury’s interior and surface, together with its magnetosphere and magnetic field. Mio is specifically intended to observe the magnetic environment and particles around Mercury.
The scientific interest is also comparative. Among the rocky planets, Earth and Mercury each have their own magnetic field. JAXA explains that studying Mercury could therefore contribute to a better understanding of planetary magnetic environments. This is a research objective; no new finding is being announced here.
Arrival does not mean everything starts on the same day
The European agency has already confirmed an initial change in configuration: the transfer module separated from the two probes on 3 September. MPO then supplies their power until Mio’s release.
The remaining timetable runs from capture around Mercury to the spacecraft separating, followed by the scientific phase announced for April 2027. Keeping these milestones distinct helps readers follow upcoming mission reports: the success of one manoeuvre does not automatically confirm that of the next.
November’s appointment is therefore a planned step in a gradual process of getting into position. Mission announcements will allow its progress to be checked; they remain separate from the first scientific conclusions expected from the exploration.