The second close flyby of Mercury gave a stunning set of close-ups of the planet's craters.
The BepiColombo mission got within 125 miles of Mercury's crater-strewn surface.
The mission still provided valuable insight into Mercury's formation processes, even though the closest view was of the planet's nightside.
This is the first flyby photo from Europe and Japan.
Jack Wright, a member of the monitoring camera team, said that he punched the air when he saw the first images.
One of my favorite craters is Heaney, and I suggested the name a few years ago. Heaney is in one of the craters.
BepiColombo plans to take a closer look at Heaney when it finally settles into an elliptical path in 25 years.
The biggest impact feature on the planet was spotted minutes later. There are lavas on the floor in the 970 mile feature.
Measuring and understanding the differences between the volcanic lavas in and around Caloris and the basin itself is an important goal for BepiColombo.
The BepiColombo satellites are stacked on top of each other as they fly by other planets. The only instruments that can be used to perform science are in this configuration.
The mission was able to look at the aspects of Mercury that won't be seen from BepiColombo.
The next Mercury flyby is about a year away. The closest approach to the sun will be made next month.
Mercury is difficult to reach because the sun's gravity makes it hard to get to it. BepiColombo is performing flybys to remove energy and speed from its trajectory in order to finish its work in space.
You can follow Elizabeth on the social networking site. We encourage you to follow us on social media:
All Rights Reserved © 2024
