ESA BepiColombo mission to Mercury gets go-ahead
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Article Summary
February 27, 2007 BepiColombo, the European Space Agency (ESA) mission to explore planet Mercury has received the go-ahead will now begin its industrial implementation phase, to prepare for launch in August 2013. BepiColombo is the next European planetary exploration project, and will be implemented in collaboration with Japan. A satellite 'duo' – consisting of an orbiter for planetary investigation and one for magnetospheric studies – will reach Mercury after a six-year journey towards the inner Solar System, to eventually perform the most extensive and detailed study of the planet so far.
