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Tuesday, September 1, 2026 · UTC
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ESA and JAXA Prepare BepiColombo for Mercury Arrival Phase

ESA and JAXA hold briefing on BepiColombo's upcoming Mercury Transfer Module separation and orbital milestones.

TruthFoundry News Desk
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The briefing focused on the separation of the Mercury Transfer Module (MTM), which is scheduled to occur on September 3, 2026. [1] The European Space Agency and JAXA held an online press briefing on August 31, 2026, to discuss the latest developments of the BepiColombo mission. [2] The separation of the Mercury Transfer Module marks the start of BepiColombo's Mercury arrival phase. [3] For the first time, a mission will place two orbiters, Europe's MPO and Japan's Mio, simultaneously into different orbits around Mercury, with Mio studying the magnetosphere and charged particles from a distant orbit and MPO studying the surface and interior from close range. [4] The BepiColombo mission schedule includes 16 braking maneuvers beginning 2026-11-21, separation of the Mio orbiter on 2026-12-09, MPO reaching its final orbit in March 2027, and scientific exploration starting in April 2027. [5] Mercury orbit insertion is scheduled to take place in November 2026. [6] Austria's participation in BepiColombo, involving planning and the company Terma Technologies, spans over 20 years, with €36 million in industrial participation and €2.5 million for scientific instrument development, making it Austria's most financially extensive participation in an ESA mission. [7]
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  1. The briefing focused on the separation of the Mercury Transfer Module (MTM), which is scheduled to occur on September 3, 2026. · esa.intofficial source
  2. The European Space Agency and JAXA held an online press briefing on August 31, 2026, to discuss the latest developments of the BepiColombo mission. · esa.intofficial source
  3. The separation of the Mercury Transfer Module marks the start of BepiColombo's Mercury arrival phase. · esa.intofficial source
  4. For the first time, a mission will place two orbiters, Europe's MPO and Japan's Mio, simultaneously into different orbits around Mercury, with Mio studying the magnetosphere and charged particles from a distant orbit and MPO studying the surface and interior from close range. · DER STANDARD
  5. The BepiColombo mission schedule includes 16 braking maneuvers beginning 2026-11-21, separation of the Mio orbiter on 2026-12-09, MPO reaching its final orbit in March 2027, and scientific exploration starting in April 2027. · DER STANDARD
  6. Mercury orbit insertion is scheduled to take place in November 2026. · esa.intofficial source
  7. Austria's participation in BepiColombo, involving planning and the company Terma Technologies, spans over 20 years, with €36 million in industrial participation and €2.5 million for scientific instrument development, making it Austria's most financially extensive participation in an ESA mission. · DER STANDARD
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