ESA Science & Technology - BepiColombo meets the launcher

The BepiColombo spacecraft stack is lowered onto the Ariane 5 launcher.

BepiColombo is a joint endeavour between ESA and JAXA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. JAXA's Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter is seen at the top of the stack, ESA's Mercury Planetary Orbiter is in the middle, and ESA's Mercury Transfer Module is at the bottom. Underneath the Mercury Transfer Module two of the spacecraft's four solar electric propulsion thrusters can be seen (black). The other two thrusters are hidden from view by the launcher adapter ring, which separates from the spacecraft after launch.