ESA to brief media on BepiColombo’s Mercury arrival phase

The European Space Agency (ESA) will hold an online press briefing on 31 August 2026 to discuss the BepiColombo mission’s next steps at Mercury.

The mission is preparing to begin operations around the planet, ahead of a series of planned milestones in the following months.

The Mercury Transfer Module is set to separate on 3 September 2026, marking the start of the Mercury arrival phase.

Mercury orbit insertion is planned for November 2026. In December 2026, the two science orbiters — ESA’s MPO and JAXA’s Mio — will separate.

BepiColombo is a joint mission by ESA and JAXA, and it is Europe’s and Japan’s first mission to Mercury.

It is the most complex mission ever sent to Mercury. The two orbiters will become the second and third spacecraft to orbit the planet.

Mercury is the least explored planet of the inner Solar System. Reaching orbit around it is more difficult than reaching Pluto.

The Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (Mio) is a payload provided by JAXA.

Mercury remains a largely unknown world despite being close to Earth. The arrival phase marks the start of the first extended study by two orbiters, promising data that could reshape understanding of the inner Solar System.

The sequence of module separation, orbit insertion, and orbiter release demonstrates extreme orbital engineering, highlighting the capabilities of both agencies.

On 3 September 2026, the Mercury Transfer Module separates, and the arrival phase begins.

Mercury orbit insertion is scheduled for November 2026.

The two science orbiters will separate in December 2026.