Overview
- The Mercury Transfer Module separated from the two science orbiters on Thursday, September 3, 2026, and ground stations in Cebreros and Malargüe reported strong signals and telemetry showing power, propulsion and communications were nominal.
- After separation the MTM remained in a stable heliocentric orbit and the ESA and JAXA orbiters continued their cruise toward Mercury still coupled together.
- Mission teams now face roughly six months of complex, high‑risk operations that include gravity capture around 21 November 2026, planned orbiter separations in December 2026 and March 2027, and the start of formal science operations in April 2027.
- The two orbiters have distinct roles: the ESA Mercury Planetary Orbiter will map surface composition and internal structure while the JAXA Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter will study Mercury’s magnetic field and near‑space environment.
- BepiColombo arrived after an almost eight‑year, ~10 billion‑kilometre transfer using electric propulsion and nine gravity assists, and engineers must now prove several flight‑untested subsystems while coping with severe heat, radiation and an 11.5‑minute one‑way signal delay.