{"id":792552,"date":"2025-01-10T17:56:03","date_gmt":"2025-01-10T22:56:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/?p=792552"},"modified":"2025-01-10T17:56:03","modified_gmt":"2025-01-10T22:56:03","slug":"new-photos-show-the-volcanic-plains-of-mercury-after-a-spacecraft-fly-by-npr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/?p=792552","title":{"rendered":"New photos show the volcanic plains of Mercury after a spacecraft fly-by : NPR"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\n A spacecraft got up close and personal with the surface of Mercury this week.
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European Space Agency via AP<\/p>\n

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European Space Agency via AP<\/p>\n

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A spacecraft skimmed past Mercury this week, beaming back stunning new images of the surface and showing once again that humankind has a seemingly insatiable longing to understand the universe.<\/p>\n

3 things to know:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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  1. The BepiColombo spacecraft flew less than 200 miles from Mercury’s surface and photographed volcanic plains and icy craters.<\/li>\n
  2. It’s the sixth time the spacecraft \u2014 launched in 2018 by the European Space Agency [ESA] \u2014 has done a fly-by.<\/li>\n
  3. The ESA said in a statement this was the final “gravity assist manoeuvre” needed to allow the two orbiters to separate, get into orbit around the planet in late 2026, and capture even more information.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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    \n A close-up photo of Mercury’s north pole taken by the spacecraft BepiColombo.
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    European Space Agency via AP<\/p>\n

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    European Space Agency via AP<\/p>\n

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