BepiColombo Captures Unprecedented Mercury Flyby Images
The joint ESA-JAXA mission navigates close approach despite thruster issues, revealing detailed views of Mercury's craters.
- BepiColombo's fourth flyby brought it within 165 km of Mercury, the closest approach yet.
- The spacecraft captured detailed images of Mercury's surface, including the newly named Vivaldi and Stoddart craters.
- Thruster problems in April necessitated a revised trajectory, delaying orbit insertion to November 2026.
- Scientists are intrigued by Mercury's peak ring basins, which show signs of volcanic activity and impact history.
- The mission aims to study Mercury's magnetic field, surface composition, and geological history once in orbit.
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