The spacecraft BepiColombo is finally nearing Mercury after 8 years in space

After 8 years in space, the spacecraft BepiColombo is finally nearing Mercury In a critical maneuver on Thursday, the mission successfully deployed its two science orbiters—beginning the final phases of its arrival at Mercury Mercury, the closest planet to the sun, is extremely difficult to study up close. In fact, just one spacecraft, NASA’s MESSENGER, has ever orbited the planet [1].

Sources

1. scientificamerican.com · The spacecraft BepiColombo is finally nearing Mercury after 8 years in space Sep 3, 2026
2. space.com · 2 spacecraft will soon reach Mercury after 8 years in space. Here's what BepiColombo can do Sep 3, 2026
3. space.com · 'A new mission starting today': 8 years after launch, BepiColombo begins Mercury arrival Sep 3, 2026
4. space.com · On this day in space! Sept. 3, 2006: Europe's SMART-1 spacecraft crashes into the moon in lunar death dive Sep 3, 2026
5. space.com · 2 spacecraft headed to Mercury are about to begin their long-awaited arrival for Europe and Japan — watch it live today Sep 2, 2026
6. space.com · On this day in space! Sept. 2, 2016: Rosetta spacecraft finds long-lost Philae lander on Comet 67P after 2-year search Sep 2, 2026

This is the neutral brief the press writes once, for everyone, before each reader’s paper adds its own so-what. It links out; it does not republish. 6 articles clustered.

Print your own paper