BEPICOLOMBO SPACECRAFT (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)
Context: The European-Japanese BepiColombo mission has successfully completed its fourth flyby of Mercury, moving the spacecraft closer to its final orbit around the innermost planet.
BepiColombo Spacecraft
- About: It is a collaborative effort between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to explore Mercury.
oThe mission is named after Giuseppe "Bepi" Colombo, an Italian mathematician and engineer known for his work on Mercury's orbit.
- Launched: October 2018, and is designed to study various aspects of Mercury.
- Arrival at Mercury: November 2026
- Mission Objectives:
oSurface and Composition: To investigate Mercury's surface and composition for insights into its geological history and formation.
oMagnetic Field and Magnetosphere: To study Mercury's magnetic field and magnetosphere, enhancing understanding of its internal structure and solar wind interactions.
oExosphere Analysis: To measure and understand the composition and dynamics of Mercury’s thin atmosphere.
oGeneral Relativity: To conduct experiments related to general relativity and improve our knowledge of gravity.
- Spacecraft Components:
oMercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO): Provided by ESA, the MPO focuses on mapping Mercury’s surface, studying its composition, and analyzing its topography.
oMercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO): Supplied by JAXA, the MMO investigates Mercury’s magnetic field and magnetosphere.
- Mission Complexity: BepiColombo will be the second and most complex mission ever to orbit Mercury.
- Orbital Challenges: Close to the Sun and more difficult for an orbiter to reach than Saturn, this small desert world is the least explored planet of the inner Solar System.
