Mercury is a mystery.
Only two spacecraft have ever passed the closest planet to our sun. The BepiColombo spacecraft, a joint European and Japanese science venture, is now on track to orbit the cratered planet and closely observe it in 2025.
This mission involved two spacecraft from research that rode on the Mercury Transfer Module, which flew by Mercury just before Oct. 1. It sent back black-and white images of Mercury from approximately 620 miles (11,000 km) above its surface.
Valentina Galluzzi (scientist working on BepiColombo) stated in a statement that it was "amazing feeling seeing these almost live pictures of Mercury."
Images show the Mercury Transfer Module, which transports the mission's orbiters to Mercury, in the foreground. The background shows the detailed topography on Mercury's surface.
This image was taken approximately 1,500 miles from Mercury. Credit: esa / jaxa
Mercury's surface has identified craters. Credit: esa / jaxa
As seen from the top, Mercury's geology. Credit: esa / Jaxa
After numerous flybys, BepiColombo will orbit Mercury in 2025. The probes will then begin to study the planet's mysterious history.
The European Space Agency writes that "For example, [the Mission] will map Mercury's surface and analyse its composition to find out more about its formation." One theory suggests that it could have started as a larger body, which was then stripped of most its rock by a huge impact. It was left with an iron core that generates its magnetic field and a thin outer shell of rocky rock.
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The outer shell is covered by lava flows from ancient times that have been pummeled over 4 billion years by asteroids and comets. Images of the next flyby will be available on June 23, 2022.
