The Most Overlooked Rocky Planet Is Getting Two New Visitors. Despite being closest to the sun, Mercury is the most ignored terrestrial planet in the solar system. It’s had to sit back and watch while Earth, Mars, and even Venus get all the attention. At night, if you listen closely, you can hear Mercury screaming into the dark void of space, begging for love. Thankfully, someone’s listening—the thirsty planet will be getting a pair of visitors very soon. Next year, the European Space Agency (ESA) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will send two spacecraft—the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) and the Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO)—to scope out the rocky planet in a joint endeavor called Bepi. Colombo. While we’ve known about the mission for some time, last week, the Bepi.
Colombo stack successfully completed its final test for launch configuration. It’s one step closer to takeoff, which is scheduled for October 2. It’ll take a minute to get to Mercury, of course—the spacecraft won’t arrive until late 2.
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Bepi. Colombo will use gravity assists from Earth, Venus and Mercury, as well as thrust from solar- electric propulsion, to reach the planet. Once there, the pair will separate and spend about a year in separate orbits, measuring Mercury’s “interior, surface, exosphere and magnetosphere,” telling us more about the evolution of the planet and the solar system at large, according to the ESA. If all goes well, there’s a possibility the both missions could be extended another year.
The last time Mercury had company was NASA’s MESSENGER mission, which culminated in 2. Before that, Mercury’s only friend was NASA’s Mariner 1. Some salient mysteries remain—for example, how frequently does the planet have Mercury- quakes? What else could we learn about the planet’s geological history from its enormous cliffs and chasms? At the very least, Bepi.
Despite being closest to the sun, Mercury is the most ignored terrestrial planet in the solar system. It’s had to sit back and watch while Earth, Mars, and even. TheINQUIRER publishes daily news, reviews on the latest gadgets and devices, and INQdepth articles for tech buffs and hobbyists.
At approximately 2:15pm today, 217 House Republicans voted to repeal much of the Affordable Care Act, sending their own plan to the Senate and potentially destroying.
Colombo will provide much- needed company to much- overlooked Mercury. It’s okay, little guy, we can’t all be Saturn.
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