The European–Japanese BepiColombo, launched in October 2018, is due to slip into orbit around Mercury on 21 November 2026, about a year later than first planned after a power problem in its electric-propulsion module in 2024. That module was released on 3 September; since then ESA’s Mercury Planetary Orbiter has switched on all its instruments and made a first trajectory correction. ESA’s MPO and JAXA’s Mio separate on 9–10 December, and science begins in April 2027. Only Mariner 10 and MESSENGER have visited Mercury before.
- 03.09transfer module released
- 21.11enters orbit around Mercury
- 9–10.12MPO and Mio separate
- 04.2027science phase begins