Bepi-Colombo joint mission is on its way to Mercury thanks to Ariane 5 launch

by | Oct 22, 2018 | ESA, exploration, JAXA, Satellites, Science, Seradata News

At 0145 GMT on 20 October 2018, an Ariane 5 ECA rocket successfully launched the Bepi-Columbo unmanned joint mission to Mercury. There are two main spacecraft plus a carrier spacecraft on the mission.

The Mercury Transfer Module (MTM) can be regarded as the main transfer and delivery spacecraft. It is carrying three cameras to monitor the deployment of antennas and the other spacecraft. Attached to the MTM are the JAXA Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO) and the ESA Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO). To protect the spacecraft from the harsh solar environment, a Magnetospheric Orbiter Sunshield and interface Structure (MOSIF) have been fitted.

Using electric propulsion and gravity assists, the MTM’s flight to the planet involves two Venus flybys followed by a succession of six flybys of the planet Mercury itself before its final orbital insertion in December 2025.

ESA’s MPO will go into an orbit around Mercury of approximately 1500 x 400 km above its surface, from where it will use a high-resolution imaging camera to map the planet. Meanwhile JAXA’s MMO will use a highly elliptical orbit to map Mercury’s magnetic field.

Bepi-Columbo mission’s three spacecraft joined: MTM firing its engines, MPO ahead of that, and MMO inside the collar of the sunshield. Courtesy: ESA

 

 

About Seradata

Seradata produce the renowned Seradata database. Trusted by over 100 of the world’s leading Space organisations, Seradata is a fully queryable database used for market analysis, failure/risk assessment, spectrum analysis and space situational awareness (SSA).

For more information go to https://www.seradata.com/product/

Related Articles

China launches four SAR satellites for commercial EO constellation

At 1050 GMT on 30 March a Long March 2D (CZ-2D) rocket lifted-off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, China, Read more

SpaceX launches next batch of Starlink satellites: Group 5-10

SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral, USA at 2101 GMT on 29 March. The vehicle carried a Read more

Soyuz 2-1v single stack rocket launches fourth EO-MKA sat

At 1957 GMT on 29 March 2023, a Russian Soyuz-2-1v launch vehicle lifted off from the Plesetsk launch site in Read more

Space Insurance: Premium rates remain stable for now but underwriter sentiment turns against Arianespace

Twice a year, Seradata takes a survey of space underwriters to find out what typical premium rates are for rocket Read more

Damaged Soyuz MS-22 returns to Earth without its crew aboard

On 28 March 2023 the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-22/ISS-68S spacecraft undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) Rassvet module at 0957 Read more

Israel makes retrograde Shavit-2 launch of new Ofeq-13 satellite – believed to be for radar reconaissance

Israel has launched a Shavit-2 launch vehicle from the Palmachim launch site in Israel at circa 2110 GMT on 28 Read more

Seven IRIDE SAR and optical satellites order goes to Thales Alenia Space

European space manufacturer Thales Alenia Space has been awarded a contract to build seven satellites for the Italian IRIDE constellation..  Read more

South Korean sub-orbital vehicle Hanbit-TLV completes first test flight from Brazil

South Korean company INNOSPACE has launched a sub-orbital rocket from the Alcântara Launch Center, Brazil. The mission took place at Read more

Categories

Archives

Tags

nasaspacexecoreviewsissesaArianespacevideochina25virgin galacticfalcon 9ULARoscosmosDGAaviation weekaressoyuzIGTevaFalcon 9v1.2FT Block 5spacewalkBeidouawardsInternational Space StationspaceSatellite broadcastingBlue OriginrussiamoonStarlinkCargo Return VehicleresearchboeingmarsblogAirbus DSOneWebRocket LaborionISROimpacthyperbolamarsdelayjaxaspaceshiptwodemocratgoogle lunar prizerocketlunarhypertextobamaEutelsatlaunchVegatourismconstellationbarack obamafiguresSESnorthspaceflightnode 2fundedthales alenia spaceRaymond LygoIntelsat2009romeAtlas VExpress MD-2dassault aviationss2Elon MuskaviationLucy2008wk2Lockheed Martinukradiotestmissilesuborbitaldocking portexplorationsstlVirgin OrbitinternetChina Manned Space Engineeringsts-122Ariane 5 ECASLSmissile defensenewspapercotsgalileospace tourismflight2010Ariane 5Express AMU 1spaceportbuildspace stationaltairElectronshuttleProton Minternational astronautical congressNorthrop GrummanIntelsat 23Cosmosscaled compositesEuropean Space AgencyLauncherOnehanleybudgetrulesnew yorksoyuz 2-1aLong March 2D/2Long March 4CVietnamshenzhouatvspace shuttleAriane 6congressMojaveboldeniacGuiana Space Centercnesnew shepardOrbital ATKLong March 2CUK Space AgencyksclawsSpace Systems/LoralUS Air ForceILSInmarsatLong March 4BprotonTalulah RileyApollodarpaeuSkylonAstriumlanderastronautbaseusapicturedragonSSLVega Cfiveeventlunar landerfalconSea LaunchWednesdayinterview50thSNCAprilKuaizhou 1ASpace InsuranceTelesat7customeratlantisLong Marchlinksuccessorgriffin