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After 8 years, Europe’s BepiColombo mission is on final approach to MercuryScience — Sep 4, 2026

BepiColombo spacecraft begin risky final approach to Mercury orbit — Sep 3, 2026The European Space Agency and Japan’s JAXA have begun the arrival phase of the BepiColombo mission to Mercury, with the two orbiters separating in preparation to enter Mercury’s orbit in November and split in December to map the planet. The highly automated, high-risk sequence—driven by Mercury’s proximity to the Sun and involving multiple flybys—underscores the mission’s complexity, with scientific observations slated to begin in the coming years.

Jared Kim Seven years of flybys and gravity assists just to fight the Sun's pull enough to slip into orbit - wild that Mercury is harder to reach than Pluto in some ways.

Mercury May Have Shrunk Up to 23 Kilometers — Sep 10, 2026New research indicates Mercury has contracted 10% to 30% more than previously thought, shrinking about 12 miles (roughly 19 kilometers) in diameter since its formation, with surface debris from ancient impacts obscuring the planet’s shrinkage signs. The finding could imply a larger metal core or different core composition and temperature history, and future BepiColombo measurements are expected to help confirm the extent of Mercury’s cooling and contraction.

Dana Whitfield The debris from old impacts covering up the shrinkage clues is a good point. BepiColombo data should settle how much the planet has really changed.

BepiColombo’s Thruster Glitch Leads To Close Encounter With Mercury, Captures Stunning Images ‌ — Sep 9, 2024Mercury is receding into the distance in this image taken by the ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission. ESA/BEPICOLOMBO/MTM VIA SWNS “> A thruster problem has meant a spaceship has passed incredibly close by Mercury – and taken…

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