BepiColombo

Author(s): John van Vliet toutatis

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BepiColombo is a joint mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to the planet Mercury. The mission comprises two satellites launched together: the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) and Mio (Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter, MMO). The mission will perform a comprehensive study of Mercury, including characterization of its magnetic field, magnetosphere, and both interior and surface structure. It was launched on an Ariane 5 rocket on October 20, 2018 with an orbital insertion at Mercury planned for on December 5, 2025 after a flyby of Earth, two flybys of Venus, and six flybys of Mercury.

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