BepiColombo

(Data available later)

To learn more about Mercury, the European BepiColombo mission launched, in 2018, two probes MPO (Mercury Planetary Orbiter) and Mio (Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter), which will arrive in orbit around Mercury at the end of 2025.
MPO has as objective, the complete mapping of Mercury and the study of its composition and its internal structure. Concerning Mio, his job will be to analyze his magnetic field and his magnetosphere. The data collected will provide a better understanding of the formation and evolution of the "inner" planets.
The MPO probe is developed by ESA (European Space Agency), while Mio is under the responsibility of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency). CNES is CNES is overseeing development for the French instrumental contribution to BepiColombo, on behalf of all the 8 French laboratories involved in the mission, as IAS, IPGP, IRAP, LAM, LATMOS, LESIA, LPC2E and LPP, who are helping to design 6 of the 16 instruments.

Access to mission data

Access to mission documents