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ESA’s BepiColombo probe conducts third flyby of Mercury

The European Space Agency’s (ESA) BepiColombo spacecraft, which is in the midst of its seven-year journey to Mercury, has successfully completed its third flyby of the solar system’s innermost planet.

BepiColombo passed 236 kilometers over the night side of Mercury on Monday, June 19 at 19:34 UTC, and started imaging with its monitoring cameras as it passed into sunlight 13 minutes after its closest approach. The imaging opportunity lasted until 44 hours after closest approach. Beagle Rupes, along with a 218-kilometer diameter peak-ring impact basin that was newly named after Jamaican artist Edna Manley, were notable features in the images.

During the flyby, most of BepiColombo’s science instruments were active. This was the first flyby where BELA (BepiColombo Laser Altimeter) and MORE (Mercury Orbiter Radio-science Experiment) were active, though BELA was only on for functional test purposes. BELA will measure the shape of Mercury’s surface, while MORE will measure Mercury’s core and gravitational field.