BepiColombo facts for kids
Artist's depiction of the BepiColombo mission, with the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (left) and Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (right)
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| Mission type | Planetary science |
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| Operator | ESA · JAXA |
| Mission duration | Planned: 1+ year |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | EADS Astrium · ISAS |
| Launch mass | 4,100 kg (9,040 lb) |
| BOL mass | MPO: 1,230 kg (2,710 lb) MMO: 255 kg (560 lb) |
| Dry mass | 2,700 kg (5,950 lb) |
| Dimensions | MPO: 2.4 × 2.2 × 1.7 m (7.9 × 7.2 × 5.6 ft) MMO: 1.8 × 1.1 m (5.9 × 3.6 ft) |
| Power | MPO: 150 W MMO: 90 W |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | Planned: October 2018 |
| Rocket | Ariane 5 ECA |
| Launch site | Guiana Space Centre |
| Contractor | Arianespace |
| Mercury orbiter | |
| Spacecraft component | Mercury Planetary Orbiter |
| Orbital insertion | Planned: 5 December 2025 |
| Orbit parameters | |
| Perihermion | 480 km (300 mi) |
| Apohermion | 1,500 km (930 mi) |
| Inclination | 90° |
| Mercury orbiter | |
| Spacecraft component | Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter |
| Orbital insertion | Planned: 5 December 2025 |
| Orbit parameters | |
| Perihermion | 590 km (370 mi) |
| Apohermion | 11,640 km (7,230 mi) |
| Inclination | 90° |
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Horizon 2000+
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BepiColombo is a planned European Space Agency (ESA) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) mission to the planet Mercury. The mission is still being planned. This means that the details of the mission are likely to change. Its planned launch date is 2014 and it is planned to arrive at Mercury in 2020.
Images for kids
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Animation of BepiColombo's trajectory around Mercury
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Earth flyby on 10 April 2020
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Mercury Planetary Orbiter in ESTEC before stacking
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Radio testing of BepiColombo orbiter
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Mio in ESTEC before stacking
See also
In Spanish: BepiColombo para niños
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BepiColombo Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.