Flight to mercury: spacecraft “BepiColombo” sends Signal

relief at the European space Agency, Esa : After the Start of the planet mercury, the probe “BepiColombo has sent” to 4.21 PM for a Signal to earth. Thus, the mission control centre of Esa (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany, was able to take control of the Mission. The ESOC-the staff took the Signal with applause.

the aim of the joint project of the European space Agency ESA and the Japanese space Agency, Jaxa, is to dig deeper into the secrets of the mercury to penetrate than ever before.

The trip to only 58 million kilometers away from the sun a planet is considered to be the so far most complicated space mission in Europe. The approach to mercury will take more than seven years – until 2025 BepiColombo will reach “” the innermost of the inner planets. The research can begin, according to the Esa, then probably in April 2026.

mercury is considered to be the least explored Planet in the solar system

in order To 03.45 PM was lifted a European carrier rocket Ariane 5 with the probe on Board, from the Kourou space center in French Guiana on schedule. As intended, rushed to the stages of the Ariane 5 minutes after the Start in the Atlantic ocean. Later, the probe detached from the rocket.

The Esa satellite MPO (Mercury Planetary Orbiter), also known as “Bepi”, examines the surface of the mercury. The Japanese satellite, MMO (Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter) or “million” – exploring the magnetic field. Mercury is considered to be the least explored Planet in the solar system.

the namesake of the probe is the Italian mathematician Bepi Colombo (1920-1984), had already calculated early foundations for a trajectory to mercury. The preparations of the approximately 1.3 billion-Euro Mission almost 20 years. Reason, the inhospitable conditions in the vicinity of mercury are: to allow the Survival of the probe in this according to the words of the Esa, a “hellish environment”, had to be developed a number of new technologies.

mhu/dpa/AFP