Mercury Composite Spacecraft

Date: 24 Jan 2008
Satellite: BepiColombo
Depicts: The composite spacecraft of the BepiColombo mission
Copyright: ESA. Image by AOES Medialab

Artist's impression of the four main elements of the Mercury Composite Spacecraft. Left to right:

• Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO)
• Sunshield
• Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO)
• Mercury Transfer Module (MTM)

The MMO and MPO will each enter their own orbit around Mercury for exploration of the planet. The MTM is detached shortly before arrival at Mercury, while the Sunshield is jettisoned when the two orbiters separate.