The European Space Agency has shared three stunning images of Mercury captured by the BepiColombo spacecraft.
The ESA/JAXA BepiColombo probe completed its sixth flyby of Mercury, successfully performing its final “gravity assist maneuver” required to enter orbit around the planet by late 2026.
During the flyby, the spacecraft passed just a few hundred kilometers above Mercury’s north pole. The close-up images reveal icy craters with permanently shadowed floors and vast sunlit northern plains.
These breathtaking views bring us closer to understanding the mysteries of the smallest planet in our solar system.
The ESA/JAXA BepiColombo probe completed its sixth flyby of Mercury, successfully performing its final “gravity assist maneuver” required to enter orbit around the planet by late 2026.
During the flyby, the spacecraft passed just a few hundred kilometers above Mercury’s north pole. The close-up images reveal icy craters with permanently shadowed floors and vast sunlit northern plains.
These breathtaking views bring us closer to understanding the mysteries of the smallest planet in our solar system.