1. The BepiColombo Mission
Overview & Status by
Johannes Benkhoff (HEWG/SERENA Meeting May 2008)
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2. BepiColombo ESA – JAXA mission to explore Mercury named after Prof
BepiColombo ESA – JAXA mission to explore Mercury named after Prof. Giuseppe (Bepi) Colombo dual spacecraft mission:
Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO)
focus on surface and interior science
built under ESA responsibility (~800kg)
11 science instruments/instrument suites
MPO
Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO)
focus on the planetary environment
built under JAXA responsibility (~250kg)
5 instrument suites
MMO illustrated by Alex Luktus

3. BepiColombo (Cruise) Configuration
MTM
Mercury Transfer Module
MPO
Mercury Planetary Orbiter
Sunshield
MMO Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter
BepiColombo industrial contract signature
Press event, Friedrichshafen, 18 January 2008

4. Mission Baseline Note: currently under review !!
Launch: August 2013 (2014 back-up)
6 year cruise to Mercury by electric propulsion
Earth, Venus, Mercury fly-by’s/gravity assists
Arrival at Mercury: August 2019
Gravity capture into Mercury orbit / Final Mercury orbit adjustment by chemical propulsion
Injection of the MPO and MMO into their respective orbits by chemical propulsion
Science operations: 1 year nominal plus 1 year extended

5. BepiColombo at Mercury
Coverage < 500 km:
HR chemistry (X, gamma/neutron)
HR Imagery, HR spectrometry
geodesy, altimetry
Messenger: 25%
BepiColombo MPO: global
MMO
e=0.66
9,2 h
MPO
2019
e = 0,16
2,3 hours
Messenger
2011
e=0,73
60° N,12 h
Data rates (average bit rate):
Messenger : 900 bits/s
MMO : 3,5 kbits/s
MPO : 70 kbits/s

6. BepiColombo at Mercury
Coverage < 500 km:
HR chemistry (X, gamma/neutron)
HR Imagery, HR spectrometry
geodesy, altimetry
BepiColombo MPO: global
MMO
e=0.66
9,2 h
MPO
2019
e = 0,16
2,3 hours
Messenger
2011
e=0,73
60° N,12 h
Data rates (average bit rate):
MMO : 3,5 kbits/s
MPO : 70 kbits/s

7. BepiColombo – Science Objectives
Origin and evolution of a planet close to its parent star
Mercury as a planet - form, interior, structure, geology, composition and craters
Mercury's exosphere composition and dynamics
Mercury's magnetized envelope (magnetosphere): structure and dynamics
Origin of Mercury's magnetic field
Test of Einstein's theory of general relativity
D(ln G)/dt
J2 of the Sun

8. to fulfill the scientific objectives, one needs …
- comprehensive, highest resolution global coverage of the planet
- thermal infrared images, to determine surface composition and create global temperature maps
- high quality measurements of Mercury’s gravity field (planet interior, test of Einstein’s theory)
- high-detail measurements of the plasma and particle environment
- double-point measurements around the planet, to better understand the structure and dynamics of the environment around Mercury

9. Scientific themes Surface - topography, morphology, composition
Interior
– state of the core, composition, magnetic field
Exosphere
– composition, dynamics, surface release
Magnetosphere
- structure, dynamics, composition
MPO
Internal magnetic field:
- Structure and distribution, Origin and internal structure
Magnetosphere
- Structure, Kinetics, processes
Atmosphere
Structure, variations, production from surface, loss to solar wind
Surface Crust
- Present structure, status, evolution
Interplanetary plasma and dust
MMO

10. Scientific Payload MPO
SIXS Solar Intensity X-ray and particle spectrometer
Monitor solar X-ray intensity and solar particles
PI: Juhani Huovelin (Finland)
SIMBIO-SYS:
HIRC, STC, VIHI Spectrometers and Imagers for MPO
High resolution and stereo imaging, Near-IR (<2.0μm) imaging spectroscopy for global mineralogical mapping
PI: Enrico Flamini (Italy)
BELA BepiColombo Laser Altimeter
Topographic mapping PIs: Tilman Spohn (Germany) Nicolas Thomas (Switzerland)
ISA Italian Spring Accelerometer
Non–gravitational accelerations of the spacecraft
PI: Valerio Iafolla (Italy)

11. Scientific Payload MPO
MIXS Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer
Elemental surface composition, global mapping and composition of surface features PI: George Fraser (United Kingdom)
MPO/MAG Magnetic Field Investigation Detailed description of planetary magnetic field, its source and interaction with the solar wind PI: Karl-Heinz Glassmeier (Germany)
MGNS Mercury Gamma-Ray and Neutron Spectrometer
Elemental surface and sub-surface composition, volatile deposits on polar areas
PI: Igor Mitrofanov (Russia)
MORE Mercury Orbiter Radio Science Experiment
Core and mantle structure, Mercury orbit, fundamental science, gravity field
PI: Luciano Iess (Italy)

12. Scientific Payload MPO
SERENA:
Elena, MIPA, Search for Exospheric Refilling and Emitted PICAM, Strofio Natural Abundances
In-situ study of composition, vertical structure and source and sink processes of the exosphere
PI: Stefano Orsini ( Italy)
PHEBUS Probing of Hermean Exosphere by Ultraviolet Spectroscopy UV spectral mapping of the exosphere
PI: Eric Chassefière ( France)
MERTIS Mercury Radiometer and Thermal Imaging Spectrometer
Global mineralogical mapping (7-14 µm), surface temperatures and thermal inertia PI: Harald Hiesinger ( Germany)

13. MPO Payload Resources Experiment Mass [kg] Power (allocated) [W]
Power (Orbit Average)
Power (max)
BELA 12 49 75
ISA
5.3 6 8
MPO/MAG
1.8 5
4.6
MERTIS
3.3 11
19.5
MIXS
7.3 18 34
MGNS
5.2 4
MORE
3.5 30 35
PHEBUS
6.6
5.4 25
SERENA 21 28
SIMBIO-SYS
8.3 23
SIXS
1.3 2
2.7
TOTAL 60
164
182
279

14. Scientific Payload MMO (23.6 kg, 48.5 W )
MGF Magnetic Field Investigation studies magnetic field from (2 sub-units) the planet, magnetosphere, and interplanetary solar wind.
MPPE Mercury Plasma Particle Experiment studies plasma (7 sub-units) & neutral particles from the planet, magnetosphere, and interplanetary solar wind.
PWI Plasma Wave Investigation studies electric field, (7 sub-units) electromagnetic waves, and radio waves from magnetosphere and solar wind.
MSASI Mercury Sodium Atmosphere Spectral Imager studies the thin sodium atmosphere.
MDM Mercury Dust Monitor studies dust from the planet and interplanetary & interstellar space.

15. BC Ground Segment set-up: Science Phase
MPO
RSE PI
DSN
MPO PI
BCMOC
BCSOC
ESA Network
BCSGS
MMO
JAXA MOC
JAXA SOC
JAXA Network
MMO PI

16. Status:
Payload is in a reasonable good shape / Instrument Preliminary Design reviews ongoing
Spacecraft activities in 2008 focused on procurement and build-up of complete industrial team, in preparation for System Preliminary Design Review (PDR).
Significant dry mass growth of the whole system (MTM, MPO, MMO, and MOSIF Sunshield) forced the Project to setup a “Tiger Team” to consolidate the system design and to review the mission baseline.
System PDR will be held at the end of 2008

17. …BepiColombo will contribute to a better understanding of the evolution of the innermost, least known planet Mercury
and of the evolution of our Solar System