ESA/JAXA UPDATE ON BEPICOLOMBO’S MISSION TO MERCURY, Sept 9, 2026, virtual, 6:45 am EDT (12:45 CEST)

ESA and JAXA will hold a virtual briefing via Zoom to provide an update on the BepiColombo mission to Mercury on September 9, 2026 at 12:45 Central European Summer Time (6:45 am Eastern Daylight Time).

BepiColombo’s 8-year journey to Mercury is nearing its end. Per ESA: on September 3, the Mercury Transfer Module separated from the spacecraft as it nears the planet. Orbital insertion is expected on November 21, followed by separation of ESA’s Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) and JAXA’s Mio spacecraft on December 9-10, making it the first two-spacecraft mission at Mercury.  The science phase of the mission begins in April 2027.

Speakers:

– Santa Martinez, Mission Manager
– Ignacio Tanco, Head, Inner Solar System Missions Unit
– Geraint Jones, Lead ESA Project Scientist
– Go Murakami, JAXA Project Scientist.

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— ESA Science (@esascience) September 7, 2026