Tootfinder

At 15:24 CEST on 15 June 2026, a faint blue glow in space was switched off for the last time: #BepiColombo across the inner Solar System, the spacecraft's solar electric propulsion (SEP) system completed its final thrust arc, marking the end of BepiColombo’s long cruise phase and the beginning of its arrival at Mercury.

Planetary shielding and surface precipitation of solar energetic particles during BepiColombo’s close Mercury flyby: #BepiColombo measured Mercury's particle bombardment up close: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/news/mathematics-and-science/bepicolombo-measured-mercurys-particle-bombardment-close - the results help assess the impact of space storms on Mercury's surface and on Earth's atmosphere.

Now on #BepiColombo at Mercury - see https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Operations/Watch_live_BepiColombo_begins_its_arrival_at_Mercury for what's going to happen.

Want some wild #BepiColombo action? Then watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJqWGdWERqk at double speed and see all the M-CAM images ever taken in a few minutes!

Surprise! The Mercury Planetary Orbiter of #BepiColombo phoned home 5 minutes early: the Bochum dish (at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKTeaeXVSS8 their live stream) saw a strong signal growing from 13:48:45 UTC - which, of course, was also seen by ESA where everyone is elated.

So far so good: as seen in the clip #BepiColombo was at 12:11 UTC, just at the time of the planned MTM separation plus signal time.