UpcomingAugust 27, 2026 · updated August 31, 2026
BepiColombo prepares to begin Mercury arrival phase
ESA and JAXA are preparing to separate the Mercury Transfer Module from its two science orbiters as the spacecraft enters its arrival sequence.
After an eight-year journey, the joint ESA and JAXA BepiColombo mission is preparing to enter its Mercury Arrival Phase. On 3 September 2026, the Mercury Transfer Module will separate from the two science orbiters.
The separation is the first major step in what mission controllers describe as one of the most operationally challenging planetary arrival sequences ever attempted by ESA.