BepiColombo Mission to Mercury

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In summary, the conversation is discussing the potential for the 2025 BepiColumbo mission to detect any indications of past or current microbial life on Mercury. The question is raised about whether this is included in the mission objectives and what type of microbial life could potentially survive in Mercury's extreme temperatures. The response acknowledges that if we already knew what the mission would find, there would be no need for it, and wonders about what new discoveries might be made compared to previous missions.
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Astrodome123
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Life on Mercury
Will the 2025 BepiColumbo mission be able to detect any indications of potential past or current microbial life on Mercury?
 
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Welcome to PF.

What have you found in your researching so far? Is that in the mission objectives?

If it is in the mission objectives, what kind of microbial life would be able to survive in those temperatures?
 
  • #3
If we knew what a mission is going to find before it gets there, we wouldn't need to launch the missiom, would we?

That said, what do you think might be found that was not found by MESSENER or the three flybys that have already occurred?
 

What is the BepiColombo Mission to Mercury?

The BepiColombo Mission is a joint effort between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to send two spacecraft to Mercury to study the planet's composition, magnetic field, and surface features.

When was the BepiColombo Mission launched?

The BepiColombo Mission was launched on October 20, 2018, from the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana.

How long will it take for the spacecraft to reach Mercury?

The spacecraft will take approximately seven years to reach Mercury, with a planned arrival in December 2025.

What are the names of the two spacecraft involved in the BepiColombo Mission?

The two spacecraft are named after Italian mathematician and engineer Giuseppe "Bepi" Colombo, who played a crucial role in the Mariner 10 mission to Mercury. The Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) is built by the ESA, and the Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO) is built by JAXA.

What are the main goals of the BepiColombo Mission?

The BepiColombo Mission aims to study Mercury's surface, interior, and magnetic field to gain a better understanding of the planet's formation and evolution. It also hopes to investigate the planet's exosphere and its interaction with the solar wind. Additionally, the mission will test Einstein's theory of general relativity by measuring Mercury's gravitational field with high precision.

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