BepiCombo slows down dramatically in its orbit around Mercury

Arrival BepiColombo About Mercure It is scheduled to take place at the end of 2025, after a seven-year journey. The probe was launched in October 2018. To reach Speed Wanted in order to pick it up in orbiting from here gravity Mercury, the probe should lose 7 km / s, which is very important. This curb represents seven times the thrust needed to reach Mars. the’energy In orbit around Mercury, 58 million km from Soleil, is much higher than the charging of the probe even Pluto, however it has been installed between 4.4 and over 7 billion km.

BepiColombo will achieve this deceleration by performing nine gravity assist maneuvers. One around the Earth – which was used mainly to adjust its speed and the curve of its trajectory toward the center solar system towards Venus – Two around Venus and six around Mercury. these bridges necessary, otherwise the probe will have to carry a lot of fuel, making the task impossible. In case BepiColombo, they save about 10 tons of fuel!

The flight made by the BepiColombo probe over Venus, just 552 kilometers from the surface of Venus, is the third in the mission. But also the most important “,” explains Elsa Montagnion, head of flight operations from BepiColombo to Mercury at the European Space Operations Center in Darmstadt inwho – which (Esok). This process allowed the probe to ” Its speed is slowing down by 5.7 kilometers per second relative to the sun “This slowdown has been obtained.” Huge and absolutely gorgeous “, would like to clarify. Of the nine flights made by the expedition, the one made yesterday was the one that allows” biggest slowdown ».

Opportunities are very rare to observe the inner solar system

During this approach, the expedition leaders took advantage of this opportunity to ” Make some scientific observations using instruments that do not rely on probe guidance Eleven of the seven probe instruments were run to acquire data and carried out a series of Sizes On sitePlasma, magnetic field, active particles and solar wind Especially ».

These notes On site A real opportunity for the European Space Agency, which has not had a satellite in the inner part of the solar system for a very long time. Today, it has many tasks so that ” The Scientific Committee of the European Space Agency is studying with great interest the possibilities of making coordinated and multiple measurements with our missions but also in NASA (Solar Parker Probe, Stereo) and De La Jaxa (Akatsuki) “. To coordinate simultaneous observations, the Commission should take into account.” Geometry of sensors between them, with respect to the planets and the sun ».

The committee also organizes monitoring campaigns during the cruise phases of BepiColombo and solar orbit, « In particular to obtain data on the solar wind and weather report my place these simultaneous measurements,” From several different places allow to get a more accurate idea of ​​the observed phenomena Admittedly, these are not long-term surveillance campaigns.” But they still have a real scientific interest ».

BepiColombo will patronize Venus this afternoon

Article fromAdrien Coffinet Posted on August 10, 2021

After Solar Orbiter Monday morning, it’s Baby Colombo’s turn this Tuesday to fly over the orbit he calls the “Shepherd’s Star,” which can currently be seen at nightfall.

the probe solar orbit, developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) with the participation of NASA, passed 7,995 kilometers from Venus on August 9 at 4:42 a.m. UTC (6:42 a.m. Paris time). The main objective of the space observatory, which was launched on February 10, 2020, is to study the processes at the origin of the solar wind, the magnetic field of the heliosphere, active solar particles, transient disturbances between planets, as well as the magnetic field of the Sun.

On August 10, at 1:48 p.m. UTC (3:48 p.m. Paris time), just 33 hours after solar probe, it will be a turn BepiColombo to fly over” evening star On the other hand, at an altitude of only 550 km. The probe, a partnership between the European Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (Jaxa), was launched on October 19, 2018. The two orbits that make up the mission – the European spacecraft orbiting planet Mercury (MPO) and Japanese magnetic orbital mercury (MMO) – You must go into orbit about mercury In December 2025, the first to studyinterior, the Surface the outer shell of Mercury; The second is to study its magnetic field, exosphere as well as waves and particles present in the planet’s immediate environment. third unit, mercury transfer unit (MTM), which Project manager It is ESA, and supports MPO and MMO propulsion into Mercury’s orbit.

Cheap opportunity to study Venus

Both probes need gravity assistance to lose energy orbital In order to reach their destinations towards the center of the solar system. This dual overview offers an unprecedented opportunity to studyflower environment From different places at the same time, moreover, places that are generally not visited by a dedicated planetary orbiter.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to take high photos. Precision Venus with scientific cameras on board: solar orbit It must remain facing the sun, while the main camera is on the board BepiColombo It is protected by the transmission unit. However, two of the three surveillance cameras BepiColombo will take pictures, black and white, with a resolution of 1.024 x 1.024 pixels, at the time of approach and in the following days. The first photo should be available on the evening of August 10th and the majority the next day. SoloHI imaging device solar orbit, which usually takes pictures of the solar wind by capturing light posted it Electrons In the wind, also had the opportunity to observe the side nocturnal from Venus during the week preceding the approach.

By the way, the two probes, which do not come close to each other within 575,000 km (equivalent to one and a half times the distance between the Earth and the Moon), cannot photograph each other.

solar orbit It acquires data almost permanently since its launch with its four tools On site which measures the environment around the probe. solar orbitMPO and MMO will collect data on the magnetic and plasma environment of Venus. At the same time, the Japanese probe Akatsuki in orbit around Venus, creating a constellation Unique data points. It will take several months to collect and meaningfully analyze coordinated flight metrics. Data collected during flight will also provide useful information ImagineESA’s future orbital spacecraft, which was selected earlier this year and will be launched to Venus in 2030.

Moreover, from Earth, Venus Currently visible in the evening, at dusk, and will be again over the next few months

Two more bridges this fall

night 1^{He is} until October 2, BepiColombo He will see his destination for the first time, making him the first Mercury flyby (Out of six planned) only 200 km. November 27 solar orbit For its part, it will make a final flyby of the Earth at a distance of 460 kilometers, to begin its main mission. It will continue to make regular flybys of Venus to gradually increase the inclination of its orbit in order to better observe the unexplored polar regions of the Sun, which is necessary to understand 11-year activity cycle of the sun.