May 9, 2025
Trending News

BepiColombo probe flying to Mercury encountered problems

  • May 17, 2024
  • 0

Setting out for the planet closest to the Sun, the European-Japanese BepiColombo spacecraft encountered technical problems: the probe’s engines lost the ability to operate at full power. The

BepiColombo probe flying to Mercury encountered problems

Setting out for the planet closest to the Sun, the European-Japanese BepiColombo spacecraft encountered technical problems: the probe’s engines lost the ability to operate at full power.


The European Space Agency reported that the problems occurred on April 26, when BepiColombo was about to begin another maneuver. The flight module was unable to provide sufficient electricity to the spacecraft’s engines.

By May 7, engineers had managed to restore the BepiColombo train to approximately 90% of its previous level. But this may not be enough.

Currently, experts are trying to evaluate how the reduction in thrust will affect the course of the mission. According to preliminary estimates, at current power levels BepiColombo should arrive at Mercury in time for its fourth gravity maneuver, scheduled for September 2024. BepiColombo is scheduled to enter permanent orbit around Mercury in December 2025.

Source: Port Altele

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *