The dual-spacecraft BepiColombo consists of two orbiters, which have to endure the mercury extreme heat and cold. An Ariane-5 carrier rocket will send the probe on this Saturday on their seven year journey.
The Mercury Planet Orbiter (left) to separate the mercury from the Magnetospheric Orbiter
The space probe Duo BepiColombo, named after the Italian mathematician and engineer Giuseppe Colombo, is regarded as one of the world’s most demanding space missions of the European space Agency ESA. This sounds surprising, because in comparison with complicated missions like the comet’s cargo of Rosetta and Philae, the project looks at first glance rather quite commonplace: An Orbiter spacecraft flies to one of the planets in our solar system. And those probes were in the story already.
Mercury: Planet of opposites
Technically demanding, the joint project with the Japanese space Agency, JAXA. Difficult, in particular, the extreme climatic conditions of the planet are: mercury has almost no atmosphere. He is also the Planet closest to the sun. The result is that it heats up to the extremely long days there, uncomfortable strong – up to 430 degrees Celsius. In the night it is freezing cold – up to minus 180 degrees.
Mercury is also the least known Planet in our solar system. In addition to the inhospitable conditions that is due to the fact that he is very small. With 4878 kilometers in diameter, he is only a little larger than our moon.
Only two NASA probes have visited him ever: in 1975, the probe Mariner and between 2011 and 2015, Messenger. Messenger had, especially the Northern hemisphere of the planet. Now, BepiColombo should fill in the gap and the missing data of the southern hemisphere supply.
More: So small, So rare, the transit of Mercury
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The space probe BepiColombo will measure mercuryThis is BepiColombo
The space probe BepiColombo is scheduled to go in 2018 on the trip. It is a joint project of the European space Agency and the Japanese space Agency, JAXA. BepiColombo consists of two satellites – the European “Mercury Planetary Orbiter” (MPO) and the Japanese “Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter” (MMO). You will explore the mercury, starting in the year 2024 on different orbits.
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The space probe BepiColombo will measure mercuryUnknown Beautiful
So far there have been two space probes that came in the vicinity of mercury. The last one was the very successful NASA probe “Messenger”. They circled the planet more than 4000 Times, sending more than 250,000 images. In 2015, it crashed planned on the planet – because you ran out of fuel.
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The space probe BepiColombo will measure mercuryLong Nights
Mercury probes have to withstand. Especially the extreme differences in temperature, engineers, and probe builders a great challenge. Life value of mercury is also another reason: The sun is there only every 176 days – you read that right, Yes, isn’t that terrible?
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The space probe BepiColombo will measure mercuryWithout An Atmosphere
On mercury it’s hot, but not as bad as you would expect from such a sun, the middle planet. On the adjacent Venus is hotter. The reason for this is that mercury, unlike Venus no atmosphere and thus the heat is re-radiated. The temperatures vary between -170°C and +425°C. no other planet, it goes back and forth.
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The space probe BepiColombo will measure mercuryUnstable and eccentric
Mercury is the smallest Planet in our solar system. He is the nearest to the sun, around the coasts but neat. Its orbit around the sun is not stable, it is always greater. Because Jupiter pulls mercury slowly out of its orbit. At some point the could even that the mercury collide with the earth. But until then, many millions of years pass.
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The space probe BepiColombo will measure mercuryAs on the moon
The surface of mercury is pockig and zernarbt. So as our moon. There are craters, which show that in the past there were many violent strikes of meteorites and asteroids. Some of the craters have even a diameter of several hundred kilometers.
BepiColombo: Two Orbiter to go together on trips
BepiColombo consists of two orbiters, which will separate only in the vicinity of the mercury: The Mercury planetary Orbiter (MPO) will study the surface and composition of mercury. For example, a complete three-dimensional image of the planet.
The Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO) is used to measure the magnetism. The two probes should also collect data on the solar winds and find out what interactions there are between the sun and mercury.
Unique Measurement Devices
A total of 16 measuring devices on Board of the two probes. “With some of them, we can look even slightly below the surface of the planet, and there’s something about the minerals – such as iron-sulfur-Compounds – know,” says ESA project scientist Johannes Benkhoff, in an Interview with Deutsche Welle.
Three instruments, the German centre for air and space travel (DLR) is involved: A Laser Altimeter (BELA), a Magnetometer (MPO-MAG) and a combined radiation-measuring device with an infrared spectrometer (MERTIS).
The equipment had to be specially built so that you can survive the wide temperature fluctuations and radiation from the sun. Thus, the measuring device of MERTIS tiny is the Sensor for the radiation: Only a change of three millimeters in size. He was made from a single piece of silicon, and simultaneously serves as a gap for the combined spectrometer. This outer part of the instrument must be able to withstand the temperature extremes.
In the interior of the probe is less extreme. It is surrounded by a six-inch-thick insulating layer. To cool the Central devices on temperate 20 degrees Celsius.
More: “Messenger” falls on mercury
These images supplied by the NASA probe Messenger. BepiColombo is now to make infrared recordings.
A long, complicated approach
Demanding the approach to the planet. He takes whole seven years. “We need a lot of energy to reach the mercury,” said planetary scientist Benkhoff. “This energy we win in two ways: first, we have a solar-electric drive, which is very energy-efficient. But the solar energy is not enough. Secondly, we need to get us so that’s why the help of the planet.”
So full BepiColombo performs a series of Swing-by manoeuvres, by the attraction of different celestial bodies to absorb the necessary speed. But you need to vote in the constellation of the planets. And because this is not so easy, it takes correspondingly long. The probe will fly Once past earth and twice past Venus. “A total of BepiColombo has to go around 18 Times the sun, before we reach the mercury,” says Benkhoff.
At the end of BepiColombo needs to be also complicated braked. Also Swing-by maneuvers are used, and six Times on mercury. Only in this way, the probe can reach at the end of their intended orbit around the planet.
Already on the way BepiColombo will collect data of the earth and of Venus. After the probe reached in 2026, the mercury, to collect her two Orbiter for about a year of data and to the earth return.
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Less mercury in front of giant sunLike a smudge on the lens
A tiny black dot – as the mercury looks in front of the sun, he happens on Monday. Over seven hours the show lasts, thousands of astronomers to track it.
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Less mercury in front of giant sunFrom what I saw from Bayern
These images taken by an astronomer with his 800mm telescope in Kempten in the Allgäu. The smallest of our planet is outshone greatly by the sun that it appears only as a black shadow. The telescope itself had to be significantly darkened, so that is something to see.
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Less mercury in front of giant sunAnd if you zoom in even closer?
This recording is from the year 2006. Italy’s national Institute for astrophysics has recorded it. At least the Planet is here clearly to be distinguished from a sun – spot is a coronary mass ejection. He is clearly circular. Behind the flames of the sun beat.
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Less mercury in front of giant sunHow come you even closer
This is only possible with a probe. The best pictures ever taken of mercury, derived from the NASA probe Messenger. She has circumnavigated from 2011 to 2015, the mercury. Then you crashed.
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Less mercury in front of giant sunLike our moon
What Messenger found was sees a surface which is actually our earth’s moon is very similar to: Rock, boulders and a lot of meteorite impact craters. However, there is a difference to the moon: The temperatures on mercury much inhospitable. Because there is no practical atmosphere, it is in the vicinity of the sun is extremely hot and cold.
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Less mercury in front of giant sunThe mercury in its full beauty
This image is composed of Thousands of Spectral photographs of the Messenger probe. They were collected in countless Rounds around the planet and deliver, for the first time a high-resolution image.
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Less mercury in front of giant sunSurface in 3D
This part shows the area of mercury, the Messenger probe 2015 is crashed. To see clearly: Numerous large and small impact craters.
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Less mercury in front of giant sunRelief in the sunshine
Such views remain the astronomers who observe the flyby of mercury, unfortunately, blocked. This is a recording of Messenger. It shows a volcanic-formed plane of the planet. The different colours show different Rock.