BepiColombo

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Due to the nature of the content, details may change dramatically as the launch date approaches and/or more information becomes available.
Computer rendition of what the two BepiColumbo orbiters might look like
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Computer rendition of what the two BepiColumbo orbiters might look like

BepiColombo is a joint Cornerstone mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to the planet Mercury. The mission is still in the planning stages so changes to the current description are likely over the next few years. Due to budgetary constraints and technological difficulties the lander portion of the mission (The Mercury Surface Element, or MSE) was cancelled.

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[edit] Mission

The mission as currently envisioned involves two components: the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) build by ESA and the Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO) build by JAXA. The two components are planned to be launched together on a Soyuz-Fregat launch vehicle in August 2013. The spacecraft will have a six year interplanetary cruise to Mercury using solar-electric propulsion and gravity assists from the Moon, Earth, Venus and Mercury.

Arriving in Mercury orbit in August 2019, the spacecraft will have a 1-year nominal scientific life. The MPO will be equipped with eleven scientific instruments provided by various European countries including visible imagers, a laser altimeter and an imaging X-ray spectrometer. Russia will provide a gamma ray and neutron spectrometer. It will attempt to map the entire surface, in several different wavelengths, and to find water ice in polar craters which are permanently in shadow from the sun's rays.

[edit] Propulsion

BepiColumbo will be propelled by a form of ion drive dubbed solar electric propulsion, which has a very high specific impulse and very low thrust. Unlike a chemical rocket which fires for a few seconds, it will keep propelling the craft for years, building up far more speed per mass of fuel in the long run. This will be the first mission to another planet (excluding the moon mission by SMART-1) using such a form of propulsion.

This drive will be tested by the unusual need to actually push against the direction of travel, instead of with it; the ship will be falling toward the sun, accelerated by its gravity, and will have to constantly fight to keep its velocity slow enough to eventually enter Mercury's orbit.

[edit] Namesake

BepiColombo is named for Giuseppe (Bepi) Colombo (1920-1984), scientist, mathematician and engineer at the University of Padua, Italy, who developed the gravity-assist maneuver commonly used by planetary probes today. He helped NASA devise the trajectory of Mariner 10, the only spacecraft having encountered Mercury till today, exploiting this maneuver for the first time around Venus.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  • H. Yamakawa, H. Ogawa, Y. Kasaba, H. Hayakawa, T. Mukai, M. Adachi (2004). "Current status of the BepiColombo/MMO spacecraft design". Advances in Space Research 33: 2133–2141. DOI:10.1016/S0273-1177(03)00437-X.

[edit] External links

Mercury Spacecraft Missions
v • d • e
Flybys: Mariner 10
Future: MESSENGER · BepiColombo
See also: Mercury · Exploration of Mercury
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