Posted on 10/01/2021 6:08:53 PM PDT by BenLurkin
The probe raced over the surface of the little world at an altitude of just 200km (125 miles), before heading back out into deep space.
Controllers plan a further five such flybys, each time using the gravitational tug of Mercury to trim the speed of the spacecraft.
The aim is for Bepi to be moving slow enough it can drop into a stable orbit.
This should happen by the end of 2025.
The probe was busy snapping pictures to send home, but not with its high-resolution science cameras.
These can't actually see anything currently because they are tucked inside what is referred to as the spacecraft stack.
Bepi is essentially two spacecraft in one. One part has been developed by the European Space Agency (Esa), the other part by the Japanese space agency (Jaxa). The way these two components have been mated for the journey to Mercury obstructs the apertures of the main cameras.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
The way these two components have been mated for the journey to Mercury obstructs the apertures of the main cameras.
Hmmmm.....there’s your problem right there
I guess they plan to put her into orbit by making a number of passes, each time shortening the distance.
Same way an alien spacecraft would approach Earth.
Yeah I am ue you are right, I was just being a smart alec
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