![](\"http:\/\/www.esa.int\/var\/esa\/storage\/images\/esa_multimedia\/images\/2018\/03\/bepicolombo_image_montage\/17407613-1-eng-GB\/BepiColombo_image_montage_small.jpg\")
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\nThe BepiColombo mission to Mercury passed a review milestone last week<\/a>, confirming that it can leave Europe and begin preparations for launch at the Kourou spaceport.\n<\/p>\n \nThe spacecraft and ground equipment, along with personnel, will start transferring to Kourou towards the end of next month. The launch window opens on 5 October until 29 November 2018.\n<\/p>\n \nThis montage of artist\u2019s impressions represents a selection of new images released today<\/a> showcasing the spacecraft elements in different situations during the mission\u2019s seven-year cruise to the innermost planet.\n<\/p>\n \nSome images highlight the moments following launch on the Ariane 5, while others feature flybys at Earth, Venus and Mercury. BepiColombo will fly by Earth once, Venus twice and Mercury six times, using the planets\u2019 gravity to help set course, before entering orbit around Mercury.\n<\/p>\n \nBepiColombo is Europe\u2019s first mission to the innermost planet and comprises three spacecraft. The ESA-built Mercury Transfer Module will carry the two science orbiters \u2013 ESA\u2019s Mercury Planetary Orbiter and Japan\u2019s Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter \u2013 to Mercury. After arriving at Mercury, the trio will separate in stages \u2013 some of these moments are also visualised in the new artist\u2019s views.\n<\/p>\n \nOnce at Mercury, the two science orbiters will make complementary observations of the planet and its environment, from its deep interior to interaction with the solar wind, to provide the best understanding of the planet to date and how the innermost planet of a solar system forms and evolves close to its parent star.\n<\/p>\n \nBepiColombo is a joint endeavour between ESA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA.\n<\/p>\n \nThe views of Mercury in this montage are based on imagery from NASA’s Mariner 10 and Messenger missions.\n<\/p>\n \nMore about BepiColombo<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \nThe BepiColombo mission to Mercury passed a review milestone last week<\/a>, confirming that it can leave Europe and begin preparations for launch at the Kourou spaceport.\n<\/p>\n \nThe spacecraft and ground equipment, along with personnel, will start transferring to Kourou towards the end of next month. The launch window opens on 5 October until 29 November 2018.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n