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BepiColombo separates from propulsion stage ahead of Mercury orbital insertion

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After an eight-year journey to the innermost planet, the BepiColombo spacecraft has separated from its propulsion stage and entered the final phase of its mission. The European-Japanese probe will now prepare for orbital insertion at Mercury, a critical milestone in its long-delayed arrival sequence.

Discovered 2026-09-09T05:21:18.015103-07:00 | 2026-09-09T05:21:18.015103-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • The propulsion-stage separation marks the transition from BepiColombo’s eight-year cruise to its final approach and orbital-insertion phase.
  • The milestone follows the mission’s long-awaited arrival phase at Mercury, making the upcoming orbital insertion the next critical operation for Europe’s deep-space science program.

Reported By

ESA Universe Today
Sources Tracked
2
First Seen
2026-09-09T05:21:18.015103-07:00
Latest Update
2026-09-09T05:34:00.183543-07:00
Coverage
Space

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